In January 2008, a netting survey was conducted of the lake whitefish population. The commercial fishery has traditionally used 102-millimetre mesh gill nets; however, this mesh size is also very effective at catching walleye and northern pike, and this became a problem as the walleye and northern pike numbers increased. As part of the 2008 survey, a number of larger mesh gill nets were set and the survey showed that the accidental catch of walleye and northern pike could be dramatically reduced (see table below).
Mesh size
Number of fish per 100-metrenet
Lake whitefish............Walleye .............. Northern pike
102 mm (4 in)
98.8 .....................22.2 .................... 0.2
140 mm (5.5 in)
90.4 ...................... 2.5 .................... 0.1
The advisory committee is proposing that a three-day (two lifts) test commercial fishery be held in January 2010, and if the fishery fishes clean (large numbers of lake whitefish are caught and few walleye and northern pike), then the commercial fishery on Pigeon Lake would resume in January 2011.
WOW
its soo sad that the pike are almost all gone...