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.”
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“Upper West Branch LeClerc Creek will be treated to remove non-native eastern brook trout,” Behen said. “Presence of eastern brook trout has led to westslope cutthroat trout population declines throughout their range due to competition between the two species.”
The proposed treatment represents in LeClerc Creek the second of three planned treatments, designed to remove these non-native fish from approximately eight miles of stream habitat. Following removal, native cutthroat trout sourced from the project area will be reintroduced to their natal stream.
The virtual public meeting to discuss the planned lake and stream treatments is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 15. The meeting is available online via Microsoft Teams, or by phone at 1-564-999-2000, conference ID: 130 731 965 05#.
WDFW invites public comments on the environmental impacts of the proposed treatment as part of a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) addendum review. The addendum and supporting documents are available for review at WDFW’s SEPA documents for public comment webpage. The public can submit a comment through the WDFW Public Engagement Portal, by email, or by mail to Kenneth Behen, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, P.O. Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504-3200. SEPA comments, including those mailed, must be received by 5 p.m. on July 22.
WDFW also invites public comments on the merits of the proposed treatments by email, or by mail to Kenneth Behen at the address listed above. SEPA and open public comments, including those mailed, must be received by 5 p.m. on July 22.
A decision on whether to proceed with the planned treatments will be made by the WDFW Director in late July.
Rotenone is an organic substance derived from the roots of tropical plants, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved for use as a fish pesticide. It has been used by WDFW in lake and stream rehabilitations for more than 70 years and is commonly used by other fish and wildlife management agencies nationwide.
All members of the public are invited to share their perspective and participate in WDFW public feedback opportunities regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, language proficiency, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, or basis of disability.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish, wildlife, and recreational and commercial opportunities.
