DETROIT (AP) -- One of Michigan's most successful commercial fishermen is suing the state to try to overcome a decades-old policy that keeps walleye off limits in the Great Lakes.

Dana Serafin of Pinconning is forced to release thousands of walleye from his nets while catching other fish in Lake Huron.

He says the state's ban on commercial walleye fishing is a constitutional violation that diminishes the value of his license.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources wants a federal judge in Bay City to dismiss the case.

In a recent court filing, the DNR says walleye restrictions have been in place for decades. The next court hearing is Feb. 10.

The DNR says Serafin caught nearly 1 million pounds of whitefish, worth approximately $1 million in 2008.

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