COEUR d'ALENE - An effort to restore the westslope cutthroat trout fishery on Lake Coeur d'Alene has some people worried that it will lead to the eradication of certain predator fish sometime in the future.

Most recently, anglers have been noticing researchers gill-netting northern pike on the lake.

"They have been out there catching pike almost daily," said Jordan Smith, of Fins and Feathers. "They want to restore the cutthroat trout, and looks a lot like what they did up on the Pend Orielle River recently."

Smith is referring to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife study that occurred last year below Albeni Falls Dams. That study was in conjunction with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, which led to the eradication of the pike on Washington's stretch of the river.

"When you see what they are doing up there, it gives us some cause for concern," Jordan said. "That one started as a study and wound up eradicating the pike on Washington's side of the river."

According to Idaho Fish and Game, the pike study is being conducted by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and the University of Idaho.

Jim Fredericks, of Idaho Department of Fish and Game, said his agency is supportive of the study, but they are only interested in the population information that will be gathered on Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"I know there is a little paranoia out there," Fredericks said. "But this is not a removal."

Fredericks said a grad student from U of I is netting fish to tag and release. They are not trying to kill the fish.

"There is an 800 number on the tags, so if someone catches one of these fish they can call in and report it," he said, adding that information will be used to track the movement, growth and harvest rates of the fish.

Mike Quist, an associate professor at U of I, said a comprehensive study of predator fish - primarily pike and smallmouth bass - hasn't been conducted on Lake Coeur d'Alene since the early 1990s.

"I can see where anglers may be getting a little twitchy about this," he said. "Especially if they watched what was done on Pend Oreille River."

But, he said, his study is much different than the Pend Oreille study.

"The Kalispel Tribe kind of started their study with the removal of pike in mind," he said. "We are just gathering information to help make a variety of management decisions of the lake. It's hard to manage without data."

He said up until now, wildlife managers have had to rely on outdated or limited data to make decisions. He hopes to change that with his study.

"Research and management are two different things," he said, adding none of the agencies involved are even close to making any management decisions with the data.

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe is using the information as part of a broader effort to restore the westslope cutthroat trout to the southern portion of Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"There are a number of things that may impact the survival of the adfluvial westslope cutthroat trout. This study is to help us understand the impact of predators on the species," said Heather Keen, tribal spokesperson. "Gathering information on the northern pike is just one component of the study."

She said the study will provide information on cutthroat predators in the lake. They are looking at size, age and density of the predator populations.

"The goal is to develop a management plan that will help to achieve a better balance between predatory populations and native trout populations and hopefully increase the survival of the cutthroat trout in Lake Coeur d'Alene," she said.

Keen said the tribe is still six months to one year away from developing potential management alternatives for the predators, but she would be surprised if total removal of pike was on the list.

"I don't think eradication of pike is realistic," she said.

Smith said he has been in contact with Fredericks on the issues, and he plans to stay involved in the discussion when ever he can.

"Eventually we will have to get involved in this," he said. "Pike fishing accounts for about half of our overall business.

"We don't want to see them gone, and we don't think many of the anglers in this community want to see that either," he added.