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Directed by Lindsey Haskin   -   Narrated by Academy Award-Winner J.K. Simmons

A gripping tale of why the most prized fish in the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth nearly vanished, and the remarkable people who tackled the mystery.

Green Bay Film Festival
Freep Film Festival
Barcelona Planet Film Festival
BC Environmental Film Festival
NWB
Now Streaming!

"The Fish Thief" is now available to stream on your favorite platforms! Experience the gripping true story wherever you are.

What They're Saying
The Fish Thief is intentional in painting a larger picture of fishing, conservation, and society...Haskin hopes this message of togetherness comes across in The Fish Thief. Sierra Magazine
The Fish Thief, which has won awards on the environmental film festival circuit in North America and Europe, is the first to tell the story of the lamprey in its entirety, from the initial mystery of droves of dead fish, to the resulting ecological crisis, to the efforts to find a solution. Outside Magazine
The Fish Thief is more than an explainer. It’s also a cautionary tale, a reminder that protectors of the Great Lakes must remain vigilant to keep the ecosystem in balance and to prevent a disaster like the sea lamprey invasion from happening again. Cleveland.com
Select Press

Cleveland.com

“Meet the gruesome predator of the Great Lakes”

CBC

“How an eel-like bloodsucking invasive species nearly wiped out fishing in the Great Lakes”

Outside Magazine

“‘The Fish Thief’ Explores a Crisis in the Great Lakes Caused by the Sea Lamprey”
The Fish Thief
Upcoming Screenings
April 8, 2025 Marquette, MI

Northern Michigan University, Jamrich Hall room 1322

April 9, 2025 Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Lake Superior State University, LSSU Arts Center

August 2, 2025 Petoskey, MI

Crooked Tree Arts Center

Film Screenings Available
Host a Community Screening

Interested in bringing The Fish Thief to your community? Reach out to our team to start a conversation.

The Story
An Unseen Invasion, a Race Against Time

In the early twentieth century, a mysterious ecological crisis nearly wiped out the fish that most people cared about in the largest freshwater ecosystem on earth—the Great Lakes. The impact reverberated across the region, ruining local industries, damaging small town economies and indigenous communities, and destroying the livelihoods of people in the United States and Canada. With little reason for hope, a dedicated group of scientists, policymakers, and conservationists tackled the mystery.

Great Lakes Fishermen
Sea Lamprey
Sea Lamprey Drawing
Behind The Lens
Making the Film

This powerful documentary is the product of nearly eight years of extensive research and production, capturing the heart of the Great Lakes region and the people who live, work, and recreate there. Director Lindsey Haskin and his team at Skyhound Media worked closely with indigenous communities, anglers, biologists, historians, environmental agencies, and passionate conservationists as they chronicled the struggle to restore balance to this extraordinary resource.

The Filmmaker
This film is deeply personal to me, having grown up in the Great Lakes region, where fishing is a cherished part of life. Lindsey Haskin, Director
Director Lindsey Haskin
Great Lakes Whitefish
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission
About The Great Lakes Fishery Commission

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is an international organization established by the United States and Canada through the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. Among its charges is managing and controlling the invasive sea lamprey, which has threatened the ecosystem for decades.