Introduction
Mechanical suppression of Northern Pike (NP) in Box Canyon Reservoir occurred between March 5 and April 12 with crews deploying 267 nets and removing 271 Northern Pike. The final catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) was 1.01 NP/net-night for the 2018 suppression effort. The Kalispel Natural Resources Department and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife collected 33 Northern Pike during the 2018 Spring Pike Index Netting (SPIN) Survey conducted April 30 through May 3. The resulting CPUE of 0.60 NP/ net-night (95% CI: ± 0.46), in sloughs and mainstem river between Riverbend and Pioneer Park Campground met the abundance target of ≤ 1.73 NP/net-night for these sections of the reservoir. No Northern Pike were captured north of Riverbend and met the target of ≤ 0.50 NP/net-night.
In total, 17,464 Northern Pike have been removed since the suppression project in Box Canyon Reservoir began in 2012.