Expect to see some nighttime activity occurring on the water between dusk and midnight.
The City of SeaTac Blog reports that a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Program will perform a fisheries survey at Angle Lake beginning Sept. 19th, continuing through to the 30th.
The survey will allow biologists to assess the fish community and long-term changes in response to the recent unauthorized introduction of Walleye (Sander vitreus) into the lake. WDFW is concerned that this introduction will drastically reshape the fish community and depress or eliminate existing fisheries in Angle Lake.
WDFW fish surveys accurately represent the fish community by incorporating multiple capture gears (boat electrofishing, gill nets, and trap nets). Boat electrofishing surveys will begin at sundown at least two evenings during this period. The boat will be equipped with bright lights and a generator that can sometimes be loud.
This type of sampling utilizes electrical current to stun fish, allowing biologists to net them temporarily easily. Fish rarely die during this capture method. Biologists will try to conclude boat electrofishing before midnight to minimize disturbance to lake residents.
Overnight gill and trap netting will also be conducted multiple times during this period. Nets will be deployed in the evening and retrieved the following morning. There is some mortality associated with netting, especially in gill nets. It is unfortunate, but gill nets are the most successful gear at capturing species like Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) and Walleye.
Captured fish are kept alive in an onboard tank with circulating water. Biologists will quickly measure, weigh and remove one ventral fin to identify recaptured individuals during the survey. Any fish that die during the survey will be returned to the lake.
Please direct questions about the survey and its implications to TeamMillCreek@dfw.wa.gov or Justin Spinelli (Region 4 Fish Biologist) at Justin.Spinelli@dfw.wa.gov.
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