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Northern Pikeminnow Management Program (NPMP)
Northern Pikeminnow Management Program (NPMP)

The Northern Pikeminnow Management Program (NPMP) was started in an effort to reduce predation by northern pikeminnow on juvenile salmonids during their emigration from natal streams to the ocean. Pikeminnow eat millions of salmon and steelhead juveniles each year in the Columbia and Snake River systems. The goal of the program is not to eliminate pikeminnow, but rather to reduce the average size and curtail the number of larger older fish. Reducing the number of these native predators can greatly help the salmon and steelhead juveniles making it out to sea.

Sport Reward Fishery

IMPLEMENT a public reward fishery in the mainstem Columbia and Snake Rivers.

REPORT angler participation, catch, and angler success rates.

COLLECT tally of tagged fish returned, tag loss rate, and salmonid Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags found in
pikeminnow stomachs.

Since 1991, over 5.4 million northern pikeminnow have been removed by the Sport Reward Fishery within the Columbia River Basin.

Program Evaluation

EVALUATE the pikeminnow annual exploitation rate and tag returns.

DETERMINE population parameters for northern pikeminnow, smallmouth bass, and walleye.

EXAMINE compensatory responses as a result of pikeminnow removals by smallmouth bass and walleye.

An exploitation rate in the 10-20% range has been achieved in all but four years of the program, resulting in a reduction in salmonid predation of up to 50%.

Partners & Funding

The NPMP is an approved program of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) funded by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). It serves to partially mitigate the impact of the Columbia River hydroelectric system on salmon. PSMFC provides technical, administrative, fiscal, and contractual oversight for all components of the NPMP. PSMFC works in collaboration with the fishery agencies of the states of Washington and Oregon. Washington runs the sport-reward registration and creel check stations throughout the river, and handles all fish checked in to the program. Oregon provides fish tagging services, population studies, and food habit studies, as well as exploitation rate estimates. PSMFC processes all reward vouchers for the sport-reward anglers.

Additional Information

Visit the Northern Pikeminnow Management Program (NPMP) website at: www.pikeminnow.org.

For more information, contact Allan Martin, Project Manager, by email to DMartin@psmfc.org, or call 503.595.3100.

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