CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Northern Pike Kill Set for Reservoir

The northern pike, a barracuda-like predator that feeds on other species of fish, is targeted for poisoning in a remote Sierra reservoir, the state Department of Fish and Game said. The fish kill, tentatively set for September, will be at Frenchman Reservoir, a state recreation area on the headwaters of the Feather River near the Nevada border. The reservoir will be treated with rotenone, a chemical that suffocates fish and dissipates quickly. The reservoir will then be restocked with other species. Fish biologists suspect that northern pike, a prized game fish that is not native to California, were transplanted into the reservoir by fishermen who love the fish’s fighting qualities.