State seeks fish poison again to rid Sierra lake of pesky pike - Calif.

[Kadie]

State seeks fish poison again to rid Sierra lake of pesky pike


By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer


Last Updated: May 20, 2004, 05:15:19 PM PDT


SACRAMENTO (AP) - State wildlife officials said Thursday they want to try again draining and poisoning a scenic Sierra lake in the latest attempt to rid it of voracious invasive northern pike.
A failed attempt seven years ago left the pike alive, but poisoned relations with the Plumas County community that depends on Lake Davis to draw tourist dollars. Many residents remain unconvinced of the need to kill off the pike to prevent them from one day escaping downstream and devastating endangered salmon and trout populations all the way to San Francisco Bay.

But nothing else has worked.

Wildlife officials have spent four years shocking, netting, trapping, hooking and even blowing up the toothy fish with detonation cord, "but the population has basically exploded," said Department of Fish and Game spokesman Steve Martarano. "We've tried the mechanical means - now it's time to eradicate."

more.... http://www.modbee.com/state_wire/story/8597391p-9464992c.html

[brook]

1. God forbid...

we let anything come between us and the tourist dollar. I live in a town with that bottom line.

I long for the day when hard knowledge and common sense are entered into these equations. Screw up the environment enough and there'll be no tourist destinations, much less tourists.

[jcldragon]

2. ...

If I lived anywhere near there, I'd go fishing to help out. I'm sure that poison is NOT the way to go.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. Destroying food - only in the USA - sheesh!

.
.
.

Fish are known to be one of the best protein foods available, and the US wants to destroy them? - Heck, why not open up a fish factory/cannery or something right there?

Oh right

The "powers that be" are only good at destroying things.

For those that are curious,

Here's a pic of a Northern Pike I caught last summer



Darn thing fed me three meals!!

:silly:

[slackmaster]

4. Has poisoning EVER worked ANYWHERE on exotic fish?

I seem to remember reading dozens of accounts where whole lakes or streams were poisioned, only to have the unwanted fish return as soon as the toxin clears out.