STERLING -- The Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday expanded its efforts to kill northern pike in trout lakes by applying the pesticide rotenone to 85-acre Scout Lake near Sterling.

While Fish and Game management biologist Robert Begich of Soldotna said no human health problems have been reported after the use of rotenone, he added that eating fish exposed to the poison is not recommended.

Biologists will check Scout Lake through next spring to make sure all pike have been killed. They hope to restock the lake with rainbow trout or landlocked salmon next year.

Since 2005, Fish and Game has unsuccessfully tried to wipe out pike in Scout Lake by liberalizing bag limits and setting gill nets to catch them.

Rotenone was applied to Cheney Lake in Anchorage a year ago to kill pike there, an effort Fish and Game has called successful. More recently, it was used on 74-acre Sand Lake, a popular lake for anglers seeking trout and arctic char that is less than a half-mile from equally popular Jewel Lake.

Details about northern pike and rotenone are on Fish and Game's web site: www.sf.adfg. state.ak.us/Statewide/InvasiveSpecies/index.cfm/FA/pike.about