Project 2017-004-00:Northern Pike Suppression and Monitoring, Contract 73548 REL 77:2017-004-00 EXP NORTHERN PIKE SUPPRESSION AND MONITORING

Project 2017-004-00:

https://www.cbfish.org/Project.mvc/Display/2017-004-00



Northern Pike Esox lucius are a highly invasive fish species that can significantly reduce fish densities and cause large-scale changes in fish communities. Northern Pike pose significant threats to the Columbia River ecosystem as a result of predation and competition for food resources. In addition, they may pose an extinction risk for sensitive species. The increasing observations of Northern Pike in Lake Roosevelt prompted the Lake Roosevelt co-managers (Colville Confederated Tribes, Spokane Tribe of Indians, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife) to implement surveys to investigate abundance, diet, growth, origin, spawning locations, and movement patterns. Aggressive removal plans have been designed and are being implemented in the upper reaches of Lake Roosevelt and Kettle River.

The goal of the project is to suppress Northern Pike in Lake Roosevelt watershed and to prevent them from spreading further downstream in the Columbia River system. The co-managers will use a multi-teared approach that includes mechanical removal techniques, angler incentives, and limited monitoring and research.





Contract 73548 REL 77:

https://www.cbfish.org/Contract.mvc/Summary/73548 REL 77



Northern Pike Esox lucius are native to the mid-western United States, parts of Alaska, and the Saskatchewan River drainage in Montana (Wydoski and Whitney 2003). Northern Pike are a highly invasive fish species that have been shown to significantly reduce prey fish densities and have the potential to cause large-scale changes in fish communities, even resulting in species elimination (He and Kitchell 1990; McMahon and Bennett 1996). Northern Pike pose significant threats to the Columbia River ecosystem including predation of native species, introductions of wide variety of parasites and disease, and competition with other species for food resources (Baxter and Neufeld 2015).



Northern Pike are a severe threat to the Lake Roosevelt ecosystem. The lake supports native Redband Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, kokanee O. nerka, Burbot Lota lota, White Sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus, and other native minnows and suckers. The ecological consequences, both to fish and other animals, have the potential to be devastating.



Northern Pike typically spawn in shallow water (<0.3 m) in the late winter or early spring when water temperatures reach 8.9 °C (48 °F). Northern Pike grow rapidly within the first two years and reach sexual maturity between ages 3 and 5. Pike prefer marshy habitats with dense vegetation in streams, lakes and large rivers. They occupy littoral habitats, but prefer cool water which causes them to head to deeper water in the summer. Northern Pike are considered an ambush predator and will feed on a variety of organisms up to 75% of their body length.



Northern Pike were first collected in the Pend Oreille River system in 2004, which empties into Lake Roosevelt near the Canadian border. The unchecked population exploded and increased from 665 in 2006 to >10,000 in 2011 (Bean et al. 2011; Bean 2014; King and Lee 2016) (Connor and Black 2010; King and Lee 201