Tag: goldfish

New Virus in Mississippi River

Fish biologists are worried about a
virus from Europe that is killing fish in the
Mississippi River. Sandra Harris reports:

Transcript

Fish biologists are worried about a virus from Europe that is killing fish in the
Mississippi River. Sandra Harris reports:


Spring Viremia is killing carp in the Mississippi River. Biologists are concerned the
virus could spread to other smaller related fish, called cyprinids, that are used for bait. Ron Benjamin is
a fish biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:


“Right now, we’re not seeing that happen. We see the forest base is pretty stable out there. Like I say, it does affect other cyprinids but it’s to various degrees. And so, at least so far, we haven’t seen that impact.”


Benjamin says Spring Viremia was discovered in the Mississippi in 2002 when
antibodies of the virus were found in carp. It is not harmful to humans who eat the fish.
The virus is thought to have been brought to the United States in goldfish imported from
Europe.


For the Environment Report, I’m Sandra Harris.

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Epa Asthma Ad Campaign Warns Parents

  • The EPA's public service announcement features a child who describes feeling like a fish with no water when he has an asthma attack. (Photo courtesy of the EPA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is airing a public service campaign on television to get parents to do a better job of limiting their children’s exposure to asthma triggers. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham
reports:

Transcript

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is airing a public service campaign on television to
get parents to do a better job of limiting their children’s exposure to asthma triggers. The Great
Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:


The TV campaign is directed at people who have asthma, but who are not taking even the most
simple steps to avoid asthma triggers such as secondhand smoke, dust mites, and ground level
ozone. One of the ads depicts a tiny goldfish out of the water… flopping…


CHILD: “When I have an asthma attack, I feel scared. Sometimes my parents have to take me to
the hospital. I feel like a fish with no water. ANNOUNCER: You know how to react to their
asthma attacks. Here’s how to prevent them.”


The EPA is offering educational materials in how to avoid the triggers. But parents can’t avoid
all the asthma triggers. An EPA spokesperson conceded there are other factors… such as air
pollution from diesel vehicles and coal-burning power plants. The EPA says it’s making progress
on those problems.


For the GLRC, this is Lester Graham.

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