FIGHTING WEST NILE VIRUS WITH NATIVE FISH (Short Version)

With the rapid spread of West Nile, more communities are faced with the question of whether to use pesticides to control mosquitoes, which carry the virus. One town is trying a new approach: fish. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lisa Phillips reports:

Transcript

With the rapid spread of West Nile, more communities are faced with the question of whether to
use pesticides to control mosquitoes, which carry the virus. One town is trying a new approach –
fish. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lisa Phillips reports:


Non-native “mosquito fish,” also known as gambusia, have been used for years as a weapon
against the insect in parts of Asia and the American West. One town in upstate New York,
Guilderland, is trying something a little different: stocking a town pond with native species such
as sunfish and golden shiner.


Ward Stone is New York State’s Wildlife Pathologist. He says more communities should
consider doing the same.


“West Nile’s going to be around, and by lowering the mosquito population it makes it a little bit
safer. And they’re not applying any pesticides to it. We should encourage that.”


Stone says the fish program is limited because mosquitoes often breed in pools of water too small
for fish. But complaints about mosquitoes have decreased in the neighborhood near the pond,
and the town has decided to expand the program.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Lisa Phillips.

Related Links