Mobile Northern Pike Suppression Crew

The project will remove invasive northern pike (Esox lucius) from Whiskey, Hewitt, Chelatna, and Shell lakes, which support significant populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) as well as Chinook (O. tshawytscha), coho (O. kisutch), chum (O. keta) and pink (O. gorbuscha) salmon. During the open water season, a crew will spend an equal amount of time at each lake, rotating among them from approximately mid-May to mid-September while conducting pike suppression by gillnetting and hook and line fishing.

This project will benefit sockeye, Chinook, coho, chum, and pink salmon as well as resident fish species in Whiskey, Hewitt, and Chelatna lakes through reduction in northern pike predation. Increased salmon runs into Whiskey, Hewitt, and Chelatna 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.