Eradication of Invasive Northern Pike from Alaska's Kenai Peninsula

Invasive northern pike on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska are apex predators that have decimated fish populations.  Left unchecked, northern pike are likely to spread.  The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has conducted northern pike control and eradication actives involving mechanical removal and rotenone treatments on the Kenai Peninsula for over a decade.  Recent rotenone treatments have included native fish restoration efforts.  In 2012, a 7,000 acre-foot open lake that supports wild anadromous fish was treated with rotenone while native fish were held captive in a nearby lake or propagated through broodstock collections.  Following the treatment, these fish were used to reestablish native fish populations in the lake.  Currently, ADF&G is conducting a multi-year project to remove northern pike from a 42mi² drainage including six lakes and twenty miles of anadromous stream.  This endeavor also includes a large native fish restoration component.  In addition to native fish restoration, the primary purpose of these projects is to prevent northern pike from spreading. ADF&G’s ultimate goal is to completely eradicate northern pike from the Kenai Peninsula to eliminate their threat entirely. Recent northern pike eradication projects have been a critical step toward that goal.