Category:
Published: 2025
Pages: 4
Author(s): Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Yakama Nation, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mechanical suppression of Northern Pike (NP) in Box Canyon Reservoir occurred between March 04 and April 23 with crews deploying 590 nets and removing 291 Northern Pike. The final catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) was 0.49 NP/net-night for the 2024 suppression effort (Figure 1). The Kalispel Natural Resources Department and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife collected 12 Northern Pike during the 2024 Spring Pike Index Netting (SPIN) Survey conducted May 06 through May 09. The resulting CPUE of 0.23 NP/net-night (95% CI: ± 0.10), in sloughs and the mainstem river between Pioneer Park Campground (RM 86-87) and Riverbend (RM 60-61), met the relative abundance target of ≤ 1.73 NP/net-night for these sections of the reservoir (see BCR Target Abundance document for specifics on the target development). No NP were caught the mainstem river north of Riverbend during the SPIN survey (CPUE 0.00 NP/net-night), meeting the ≤ 0.50 NP/net-night abundance target for this reach.
In total, 19,905 Northern Pike have been removed through the suppression project in Box Canyon Reservoir, which began in 2012.