Fishing in the Upper Peninsula has long been a favorite pastime for many of us, and the financial benefit of the fishing industry to the state of Michigan is one we should seek to preserve.

Year after year the state’s economy is bolstered by anglers trying their luck on our lakes, rivers and streams. But the many fish taken from our waterways creates a slight imbalance to the natural order of things, which is why managing the wildlife is so important to both the continuation of certain species and to our state’s economy.

The fishing industry in Michigan generates nearly 38,000 jobs and produces roughly $2.5 billion annually for the state’s economy, according to a 2016 report created by officials with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

With 1.2 million anglers noted that year, Michigan was ranked fifth in the nation on that front, according to the report. And with 11,000 lakes, 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and 20,000 miles of trout and salmon streams, Michigan was touted as one of the most diverse places for freshwater fishing in the world.

With our vast wilderness and untouched natural wonderlands, there’s no shortage of beautiful places to fish here in the Upper Peninsula.

Whether it’s charting a course out into Lake Superior or finding that quiet backwoods stream, the opportunity to hook a fish is at our fingertips.

And the type of fish you can catch is about as varied as it can get. Atlantic salmon, large- and smallmouth bass, brook trout, brown trout and lake trout, catfish, carp, chinook and coho salmon, crappie, sturgeon, pike and more are found in Michigan’s waterways.

Anglers travel miles and from other states to fish Michigan’s waters, and to keep that exchange going, the DNR’s Fisheries Division supplements our lakes and streams with fingerlings, fry and older fish so that our rivers don’t run dry.

So far this year, the DNR stocked Michigan’s waterways with about 21.1 million fish consisting of 10 species and one hybrid. The Marquette State Fish Hatchery on Cherry Creek Road in Marquette stocked nearly 550,000 yearling lake trout, brook trout and splake.

In a recent Journal article on the matter, Jim Aho, DNR fisheries biologist, said the temperatures at the Marquette hatchery were optimal this past year.

“Marquette had very good health conditions on our fish. They came out very large,” he said. That’s good news for our region.

Anglers in Michigan spend money on fishing licenses and gear, and they buy gas from local stations for their vehicles or vessels. Out-of-towners stay in our hotels and campgrounds, and commercial fishing operations help support local grocery stores and restaurants, which are also visited by Michiganders and outsiders alike. All of this activity helps strengthen local economies as well as the state’s coffer.

All combined, the millions of fish that have so far been stocked in Michigan weighed a total of roughly 333 tons, according to a press release from the DNR. Staffers from the state agency made 381 trips to nearly 800 stocking sites including Great Lakes, inland lakes and rivers, and 18 specialized trucks traveled 103,618 miles and 2,619 hours to deliver the valuable cargo.

The fish stocking operation is no small feat, and it’s difficult not to see the value in the DNR’s approach to managing our fisheries and helping to sustain our economy.