The external bleeding on this freshwater drum fish is a result of VHS. Not all fish with the disease will bleed like this. Many will die of internal bleeding. (Photo by John Lumsden, University of Guelph)
One state is halting some fish stocking programs to stop the spread of a virulent fish disease. Steve Carmody reports that might mean fewer fish in some lakes and streams:
Transcript
One state is halting some fish stocking programs to stop the spread of
a virulent fish disease. Steve Carmody reports that might mean fewer
fish in some lakes and streams:
A disease called Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia has been spreading,
killing a lot of fish in some parts of the Great Lakes. The state of
Michigan is imposing a one year moratorium on hatchery production and
stocking of walleye, northern pike and muskies. That’s about five million fish.
Other Great Lakes states are taking steps as well to protect their fish
hatcheries. But Michigan is the only state taking the extraordinary
step of imposing a moratorium.
Gary Whelan is with Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“If this disease would happen to get into one of our hatcheries, we
would have to disinfect in entire, depopulate and disinfect an entire
hatchery. Which means that hatchery would be out of business for two
years.”
Whelan speculates that VHS was introduced to the Great Lakes by an
ocean going vessel emptying its ballast tanks.
For the Environment Report, I’m Steve Carmody.