BOISE, Idaho — Known as voracious eaters of other fish, especially those popular with anglers, their appetites can lead to declining fish populations and the inability to sustain even themselves. They come to the party and eat everything. Walleye perch are an invasive species and they were recently found in Lake Lowell by The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG).
Art Butts, the regional fisheries manager, said the department does not know how the fish got into the lake, it was not sanctioned by IDFG and they are not meant to be there.
"Put simply, walleye are fish that voraciously eat other fish," Butts said. "They are native to the Midwest where they rely on a prolific prey base that is just not present in Idaho waters – and that means they are instead going to prey on gamefish species, particularly panfish and trout, that are popular with anglers."
After a survey was conducted, the department learned on Oct. 10 that the lake has a reproducing population of walleye.
"With the sheer number of walleye we sampled from just about 200 yards of the canal, and with the majority of those fish being in a smaller size class, it is a really strong piece of evidence showing that we have a self-sustaining population of walleye here," Butts said. "And that's really concerning."
It is concerning because the non-native species are known for taking over fishing waters.
"In the West, it is not uncommon for walleye to eat themselves out of house and home in the long run. In waters where introduced walleye are not compatible with an existing fishery, walleye anglers might enjoy good fishing for a few years before the other shoe drops and the fishery becomes almost entirely composed of stunted, skinny walleye," a news release stated.
Butts said they will dedicate a lot of resources to mitigate the problem.
"Fish and Game doesn't view walleye as 'bad fish,'" Butts added. "But we do want to ensure that they are only in places where they are compatible with existing fisheries... ". "In theory, these fish could reach the Snake and go downstream into the Hells Canyon Complex of reservoirs and even below Hells Canyon itself, which is a major migration corridor for salmon and steelhead. They could also move up into the tributaries, including the Boise River."
He said it would be a wait and see situation. IDFG is also asking anglers to kill walleye if they catch them and report to a regional office for research.
"Because we do not have any legally established walleye fisheries in the entire Southwest Region – and these fish shouldn't be present here – we would also like walleye carcasses if anglers happen to catch one in another waterbody," Butts said.
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