Commercial fishing for Lake Herring began in the 1800s. In Ontario, the yield of Lake Herring was 328 tonnes in 2018. Other historically important species in Saginaw Bay include lake sturgeon and cisco (lake herring). Lake Herring are fished recreationally in many parts of the United States and Canada. Smaller Lake Herring can also be gill-netted and sold as bait for use recreational fishing.