Stizostedion vitreum
Description
- Also called Pike-Perch and/or Pickerel.
- Native to North America east of the Continental Divide and to northeastern BC.
- Introduced illegally in 1960 into the Roosevelt Reservoir, walleye have spread upstream past the Keenleyside boat lock in Castlegar.
- Have a long cylindircal body, adults are typically 30-50 cm.
- Typical weight range is 0.5-1 kg.
- Can reach a maximum age of 14-18 years.
Consequences of invasion
- Predicted to have a moderate to high impcat on BC’s freshwater ecosystems.
- Competes with other species for common food resources.
- Significant predator of native and introduced salmonid populations.
- Based on modeling results for the lower Columbia River, walleye is estimated to be responsible for only a small loss in productivity of salmon populations and less important than native predators.
Integrated pest management options
- It is illegal to transfer live fish between water bodies. People caught moving or releasing live fish into lakes or streams in BC will be prosecuted. (This does not apply to catch-and-release fishing, when releasing fish directly back into the water at the point of capture.)