WDFW schedules public meeting on proposed rotenone treatment

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery managers will host an online public meeting on July 15 to discuss proposed plans to treat Fish Lake in Spokane County and Upper West Branch LeClerc Creek in Pend Orielle County with rotenone, a naturally occurring pesticide commonly used to remove undesirable and illegally stocked fish species from lakes and streams.

“The goal of the project is to shift management emphasis to a warmwater mixed species fishery by removing yellow perch, tench, and pumpkinseed sunfish and any other competitive species detrimental to bluegill sunfish growth and survival,” said Kenneth Behen, WDFW warmwater fish program manager. “These fish compete with stocked bluegill, sometimes prey on them or otherwise disturb habitat rendering stocking efforts ineffective.”