Duluth, Minn. — Commercial fishing has shaped the culture, economy, and identity of Minnesota’s North Shore for more than two centuries. The documentary Lost but Not Forgotten: A History of Commercial Fishing on Minnesota’s North Shore and Isle Royale, produced by Duluth filmmaker Fred Dudderar, traces that history from early fishing operations in the 1800s through the industry’s rise, fishery collapse beginning in the 1940s, partial recovery, and an uncertain future.
The documentary will be shown at Zeitgeist Theater in Duluth on Friday, March 27, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. as part of the Twin Ports Festival of History. All festival events are free and open to the public. A brief trailer offers a preview of the film’s historical footage and interviews.
“Lost But Not Forgotten was a labor of love, started in 2020,” said Dudderar. “The work generated hundreds of hours of interviews with the historians, fisherman and government stewards who witnessed and documented the rich history of commercial fishing on Minnesota's North Shore and Isle Royale."
Among the many voices featured in the three-part film is Minnesota Sea Grant Fisheries Specialist Don Schreiner, a longtime Lake Superior fisheries leader whose career has helped bridge the past and present of the Lake Superior fishery.
“Fred and all the folks in the film did an excellent job connecting the stories of past fishing communities with the ongoing effort to sustain Lake Superior’s fisheries,” said Schreiner.
In Lost but Not Forgotten, Schreiner contributes scientific context and historical perspective to a story often told through the experiences of fishing families and coastal communities. His career in fisheries management and as the Lake Superior fisheries supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources coincided with a period when Lake Superior’s fish populations were beginning to rebound from a major collapse.
By the mid-20th century, Lake Trout and Cisco or Lake Herring fisheries had collapsed due to overfishing, Sea Lamprey, other invasive species, and ecosystem shifts. The film explores that collapse and the decades-long recovery that followed, which was an era in which fisheries science and management played an increasingly important role.
“From 1989 to 2014, my crew and I led the Minnesota fishery assessment programs that helped guide and implement management decisions, and worked extensively with commercial fishermen, tribal partners, and recreational anglers to help balance the fishing interests,” said Schreiner. “It was an exciting time.”
That collaborative approach reflects a central theme of the documentary: commercial fishing on Lake Superior is not just an industry, but a living tradition shaped by generations of knowledge. From early Scandinavian fishing settlements to modern fisheries management, the film shows how the region’s relationship with the lake has continually evolved.
“In 2022, the year this film was made, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources documented the largest recorded year class of Cisco or Lake Herring,” said Schreiner. “So there should be a sustainable source of fish to support the Cisco commercial fishery for years to come.”
The film helps connect the stories of past fishing communities with the ongoing effort to sustain Lake Superior’s fisheries. Schreiner's perspective reminds viewers that the history of commercial fishing is not only about what has been lost, but also about the lessons learned and the lessons that continue to guide stewardship of the largest freshwater lake in the world.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Minnesota Sea Grant is a systemwide program of the University of Minnesota and one of 34 federal-university Sea Grant partnerships across the country supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Great Lakes and coastal states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, outreach, communication, education, and technology transfer.
CONTACTS:
Fred Dudderar, filmmaker, [email protected]
Don Schreiner, Fisheries Specialist, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].
Marie Thoms, Associate Director and Communications Director, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].