Researchers believe reducing the number of these predators can greatly help the salmon and steelhead. In the 1998 season, we will continue the tagged fish incentives and large tournaments similar to those offered in 1997. We're not trying to eliminate northern pikeminnow. Evaluation of the reward fishery is an important component of the overall program. It will tell us how effective we are and where we need to make improvements.
Results indicate that the program is successful.
Since 1990 over 1 million northern pikeminnow have been removed from the Snake and Columbia rivers as a result of the sport-award fishery. Millions of young salmon survived that would have otherwise been eaten. We estimate that predation on juvenile salmonids has been cut by by 36 percent. In 1997, more than 119,000 northern pikeminnow were caught in about 27,000 angler days. The northern pikeminnow, a native of the Columbia River system, is a large member of the minnow family.