KENAI — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is moving forward with a project to eradicate the invasive northern pike from Kenai Peninsula waters.
The Peninsula Clarion reports the agency is planning to treat the Soldotna Creek mainstream with a pesticide called rotenone in June to get rid of the fish.
A second round of pesticide application is planned for summer 2017.
Two years ago, Fish and Game treated several lakes in the Soldotna Creek drainage to eradicate pike, and fisheries biologist Rob Massengill says those efforts were successful.
Massengill told the Soldotna City Council last week that the rotenone-treated water doesn't pose a health risk to people or plants. The only creatures likely to be negatively affected by the project are zooplankton, a food source for small fish.