IFPAG Meeting, Aug. 8, 2013

[Don Wittenberger]

WDFW's Inland Fish Policy Advisory Group (IFPAG)'s meeting near Cle Elum today was well attended by IFPAG members and department staff. F&W Commissioner Jay Kehne of Omak, a former USDA soil scientist who now works for Conservation Northwest, also attended.

The main item of interest to Esox anglers was a report on northern pike suppression efforts at Box Canyon on the Pend Oreilles River north of Spokane. In 2012 and 2013, more than 13,000 pike were removed from the river primarily by gillnetting but also angler harvest. That figure represents a roughly 90% population reduction. From gillnet survey data, it appears the large fish are mostly gone now, and the average size of POR pike has dropped from 24" to 18". However, WDFW fish managers acknowledge that pike population control efforts must be ongoing or the fish will come back.

There was some discussion of pike reproduction. Pike have existed in low numbers in Long Lake, an impoundment of the Spokane River, for many years; but water level management practices there prevent them from reproducing, so all the pike in Long Lake are fish that escaped from Lake Couer d'Alene and swam downriver. Box Canyon, by contrast, provides ideal reproductive habitat for pike. It's theoretically possible to prevent pike from reproducing in Box Canyon by manipulating water levels during spawning season, but the practicalities of dam operations make that option unavailable to fish managers. Therefore, pike control efforts have focused on fish removal.

WDFW has drafted proposed legislation to help in the battle against aquatic invasive species. You can read the bill here: http://wdfw.wa.gov/ais/ism_stakeholder_ ... 62513b.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; In general, it authorizes mandatory inspection and decontamination of boats, trailers, and other "aquatic conveyances," and holds boat owners responsible if they bring AIS into the state.