Location: Grand Rapids, MI | VHS found in two Lake Michigan species
July 3, 2008
By JIM NEWTON
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources issued emergency regulations Wednesday to slow the spread of a fish-killing virus in Illinois after a sampling of fish in the Winthrop Harbor area of Lake Michigan detected the presence of the disease.
Samples from goby and rock bass taken June 25 from the lake at Winthrop Harbor showed the presence of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS).
The fish disease, caused by an aquatic virus previously unidentified in the Midwest, does not affect humans, but can kill a substantial number of fish and has been spreading throughout the Great Lakes.
The main concern right now is to prevent the spread of the disease to inland lakes and rivers, officials said.
"With the discovery of VHS in the Illinois waters of Lake Michigan, we need to act immediately to try to protect our inland waters from VHS," Illinois Department of Natural Resources Chief of Fisheries Steve Pallo said Wednesday.
"The new regulations we are implementing are immediate and appropriate steps in trying to slow the spread of this dangerous aquatic virus in Illinois," said IDNR Acting Director Sam Flood. "Sport fishing and boating are both very popular and important to the Illinois economy. The cooperation of anglers and boaters is essential in combating VHS."
Officials stressed that the disease does not affect humans, and anglers can still catch, cook and eat affected fish without danger.
Fish can be infected with VHS by direct contact with other infected fish, by a fish consuming its infected prey, or from contact with water which contains the virus.
The highly contagious virus causes fish to bleed to death, and advanced symptoms include hemorrhages in the eyes, skin and gills. There is no vaccine for the virus and control methods rely entirely on surveillance and eradication efforts.
In recent years, surveillance for aquatic diseases affecting fish has been increased throughout the state.
IDNR will continue its surveillance program, and fish produced at state hatcheries will be tested before they are stocked into Illinois waters.
All fish eggs and imports of fish to state facilities will be disinfected and tested prior to import to ensure that VHS does not jeopardize operation of the state fish hatchery system.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1037757,5_1_WA03_SI...
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Location: Des Moines IA | The new emergency regulations being implemented by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources regarding VHS that affect recreational anglers and boaters include:
• Eliminating natural water from all equipment when leaving a body of water.
• Emptying and draining all bait buckets, livewells, baitwells, bilges, etc., or any other compartment capable of holding natural waters when leaving a body of water.
• Do not remove live VHS-susceptible species (see Susceptible Species list at left) from any waters. Anglers may catch and keep VHS-susceptible species, but may not transport those fish live from the waters where caught.
• Use of wild-trapped fishes from within the state as bait will be restricted to the waters where the fish are legally captured. |
