Hewitt and Whiskey Lake Pike Suppression

Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association conducted a 3-year northern pike (Esox lucius) suppression project at Whiskey and Hewitt lakes, removing pike from the lakes during each summer from 2018–2020 primarily with gillnets. During that time, 6,557 pike were removed from the system while deploying gillnets for 19,405 hours. Catch per unit effort calculated for 2020 showed decreases in the number of pike caught per hour at both lakes when compared to catch per unit effort from a study conducted in 2014. The average age, length, and weight of northern pike decreased at both lakes from 2018–2020.

This project utilizes funds from PCSRF grants NA13NMF4380259 and NA14NMF4380332; no funds from these grants were used past their end dates.

This project will benefit sockeye, Chinook, coho, chum, and pink salmon as well as resident fish species in Hewitt and Whiskey lakes through reduction in northern pike predation. Increased salmon runs into Hewitt and Whiskey lakes will also benefit terrestrial species (e.g., brown bear), avian species (e.g., bald eagle, glaucous gull, Arctic tern), and marine mammal species (e.g., harbor seal, beluga whale) that feed on salmon and will increase the transfer of marine-derived nutrients through decaying salmon carcasses to further boost the productivity of the ecosystem.