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DNR urges boaters to help stop VHS |
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Green Bay Press-Gazette
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Emergency rules put in place for viral hemorrhagic septicemia, the
fish-killing VHS virus found in the Lake Winnebago watershed, go into
effect Sunday. While much of the focus has been on the Winnebago System in recent
weeks, Department of Natural Resources fisheries director Mike Staggs
is encouraging boaters anywhere to take common-sense steps to reduce
the likelihood they'll spread aquatic invasive species or the VHS virus.
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That includes not taking water or live fish away from the landing and cleaning all visible plants, animals and mud off the boat and trailer before launching and after coming off the water.
Staggs said each lot of fish tested costs the state somewhere around $500.
Greater costs may come with increased presence by fisheries and law enforcement personnel at boat landings.
Signs at landings are the biggest educational tool the DNR has. DNR secretary Scott Hassett is confident that partner organizations like fishing clubs and lake associations will help, but said in the early stages, it's important to have a state presence whenever possible.
"There's going to be some issues with personnel and overtime, things like that, whenever you have a crisis of this nature," Hassett said.
Anglers might notice an increase in the cost of minnows. Distributors are going to have to pay for test screenings on batches of minnows, and they'll have to pass that on to customers.
With no minnows allowed to be trapped out of the Winnebago and Mississippi River systems and new restrictions on bait harvesting elsewhere, the supply for certain species at some bait and tackle shops might drop.
Stocks in jeopardy?
Staggs heads a VHS response team of 14 DNR staffers charged with compiling information and developing recommendations. He and his crew have some hard decisions to make regarding fish stocking in the coming days.
Chinook salmon are beginning to smolt — a time when fingerlings need to imprint on tributaries and be released — but there's a state stocking freeze while assessments continue into the health of stocks.
"If they're infected, we don't stock infected fish," Staggs said. "Even though we believe VHS may already be in Lake Michigan, we wouldn't want to potentially introduce it to another area or increase its frequency."
While brood stock fish were tested for VHS last fall, and eggs are dipped in an iodine-type solution to disinfect them, there's a small chance the salmon may have come in contact with infected walleye or northern pike eggs in the Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery. The brood stock of those pike and walleyes came from Lake Puckaway, one of the lakes where anglers recently reported finding dead fish.
Staggs said since the chinooks are ready to smolt and tests to ensure they're free of VHS take nearly a month, some — perhaps many — may have to be destroyed unless fisheries officials are confident they weren't infected.
"We've got fish from other sources we know are clean, and perhaps would reallocate stocking in some areas," Staggs said. "Right now, I just don't know. I hope to know by the end of the week."
Report suspicious kills
Anglers and boaters heading out to enjoy the holiday weekend are being asked to watch for suspicious fish kills.
DNR fisheries workers encourage the public to get familiar with the symptoms of VHS.
"Everyone's got a story where fish are dying, and that's fine; we want them to call," Staggs said.
"But most are the typical die-offs you see in spring. There are a couple suspicious ones that we collected some samples on and are getting tested."
Staggs said what the DNR is interested in is large numbers of dead fish or fish that show signs that might be typical of VHS — bulging eyes, bleeding and listlessness, among others. If you see anything like that, call (800) 847-9367.
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