Management

Rather than artificial hatching and rearing, fisheries management people and biologists have found that it is more efficient to maintain the species by protecting their natural spawning areas. These areas are even more important when they constitute a wetland area where waterfowl can breed too. For example, a situation may arise where the fry and adults may be stranded in the marshes of a spawning area when water levels drop suddenly. To maintain an avenue to the lake for the fish, small dams with control gates are constructed in the spawning areas. The fry are allowed to live in the protection of the marsh until they are of fingerling size and then the gates are opened for them to migrate into the stream, river, or lake.

Many pike populations could use heavier angling pressure. In some areas the pike are considered a nuisance and are low on the list of management priorities. The biggest headache for fisheries people is the control of poaching.

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