Fisheries, Subsistence, and Habitat
Publications Searchable Database
Search Again| Division: | Sport Fish |
| Title: | Control and removals of invasive northern pike on the Kenai Peninsula, 2004 |
| Author: | Begich, R. N. |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Report ID: | Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Data Series No. 10-59, Anchorage |
| Abstract: | Northern pike Esox lucius are not native to aquatic habitats of southcentral Alaska south of the Alaska Range. Introduction of northern pike into these freshwater systems may have deleterious effects on native fish, including various species of Pacific salmon. This report summarizes the continued effort to restore salmonid habitat by removing invasive northern pike from four freshwater lakes on the Kenai Peninsula. In 2004, 2,684 northern pike were captured and removed from four Kenai Peninsula area lakes. Relative comparisons of observed mean lengths of fish captured and catch per unit effort were used to establish baseline information for northern pike populations and to determine if previous removal efforts were successful in reducing populations in two of the four lakes examined. Mean fork length of northern pike was 323 mm (SE = 3 mm) at Derks Lake, 337 mm (SE = 5 mm) at East Mackey Lake, 279 mm (SE = 3 mm) at West Mackey Lake, and 445 mm (SE = 3 mm) at Sevena Lake. Catch per unit effort for gillnets was 0.128 northern pike per hour at Derks Lake, 0.056 at East Mackey Lake, 0.108 at West Mackey Lake and 0.517 at Sevena Lake. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests comparing mean length of northern pike captured from East and West Mackey lakes between 2003 and 2004 showed mean length to be significantly different (P < 0.05). Tests indicated catches in both lakes had higher frequencies of shorter length northern pike in 2004 compared to the mean length of northern pike taken in 2003 indicating that previous removal efforts did have a negative impact to these populations. We recommend continuing this netting program in these four Kenai Peninsula area lakes until further eradication measures may be taken. |
| Keywords: | Kenai Peninsula, Derks Lake, East Mackey Lake, West Mackey Lake, Sevena Lake, northern pike, invasive species |