LANSING, Mich. — So-called net-pen aquaculture may be a thing of the near future in Michigan. At least two commercial fisheries – Coldwater Fisheries, Inc. and Aquaculture Research Corp. – have inquired about the possibility of starting net-pen aquaculture operations in the state.

This is according to Ed Eisch, fish production program manager at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). "We haven’t received any requests for permits yet," he reported.

Net-pen aquaculture is named for the offshore floating enclosures, usually located off coastlines, capable of raising large numbers of fish. These operations take small fish from a hatchery and raise them to a harvestable size for the consumer food market.

Currently, the only commercial aquaculture net-pens in the Great Lakes are located in the Ontario waters of Lake Huron in the North Channel and in Georgian Bay, the DNR stated. DNR and the state departments of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) are working together to review the concept and make a policy recommendation to Gov. Rick Snyder.

Early last month state officials announced the appointment of a scientific advisory panel to evaluate proposals to allow commercial net-pen aquaculture in Michigan’s Great Lakes waters. In addition to the work of the panel, the state will analyze the economic and legal implications of net-pen aquaculture in Michigan to provide a comprehensive review, according to DNR.

The main concerns are environmental, Eisch noted. These include, for example, any possible health or ecological risks from nutrients entering the Great Lakes. Another concern is whether there would be enough of a separation between the caged fish and the fish in the waters outside any enclosure.

"There’s a lot of questions about net-pen aquaculture," he said. "Some are worries, some are just questions. Our job is to inform the department directors about the development of policy. We felt that a blue-ribbon panel was the best way to answer these questions."

The scientific advisory panelists will include scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Ecological Laboratory, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Michigan Sea Grant, as well as a veterinarian and other professionals. Bartlett, Ill.-based veterinarian Roy Stein will serve as chair of the panel, which expects to deliver a findings report in October to the directors of the DNR, MDEQ and MDARD.

According to Kent Herrick, a principal with Aquaculture Research Corp., it’s going to be difficult for the panel to "get up to speed" on the scientific issues in that amount of time, let alone do a report. "I don’t know how they’re going to do it," he explained.

He also thinks it’s a mistake for DNR to wait until October to begin to take the next steps in the process. He and others have already waited eight months just to get to the point of the June 25 meeting. That meeting was designed to allow members of the public to provide input to state officials on the subject of net-pen aquaculture.

Herrick added much of the science around this is already known, because Ontario has been doing it for the past 30 years. President of Coldwater Fisheries Robert Devine sounded more sanguine about the government’s process last week; his company is interested in establishing an experimental fish farm in Big Bay De Noc or Little Bay De Noc, in Lake Michigan.

"We’re interested in participating in this experimental farm," Devine said. "We would farm them in the cages and others would be able to run experiments if they want. The earliest anything could happen would be fall 2016, but that’s if everything goes click, click, click, We’ve been here in Ontario 25 years and we haven’t had any water problems."

According to the announcement, the volunteer panelists have agreed to "objectively and independently" assess the scientific information surrounding the issue of commercial aquaculture net-pens in the Great Lakes.

"It’s important that Michigan looks at the issue of commercial net-pens with a critical, deliberate eye, given the wide range of issues and interests affected," said DNR Director Keith Creagh. "We want to have a firm understanding about the impact of aquaculture net-pens on water quality, health of fish populations and the Great Lakes ecosystem – things that greatly influence quality of life for residents in the Great Lakes region."

Staff from each of the three state agencies are supposed to meet this fall to review the information from the panel before proceeding.