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Member
Posts: 340
Location: McFarland, WI | Sunshine:
I'm not an expert on the VHS virus but we encounter similar viruses in other species. Upon initial exposure the most susceptible members of the population are infected and suffer the gravest consequences. This may be stressed members of the population and the source of stress may be age, environmental, etc or it might be genetically less resistant members. Survival of the fittest. The virus becomes endemic in the population because some infected members become chronic carriers and shedders. If the population is stressed we see secondary outbreaks. Control often entails removing stress factors one of which might be overcrowding. This becomes self limiting. It might end up that this virus will reduce the carrying capacity of a body of water especially in times of oxygen and heat stress. A strain of the virus is already endemic in the pacific northwest and it causes problems in pen raised(crowded) fish.
The birds are not carriers but mechanical vectors. They transport dead fish and have direct contact with the fish.
My question is: Will the stress of catch and release make these fish more susceptible to infection? Would we be better off to keep fish and reduce the stressed population plus reduce the total population to a less crowdwd level. The fish biologists need to answer the question of carrying capacities in the presense of this virus.
The state Aquaculture veterinarian is trying to organize a meeting to update us on this virus. As I get more information I'll pass it along. again I am not an expert and my information is general virology that may not strictly apply to this virus but it is my best educated guess.
Excuse any spelling errors as I am trying to get this done and get out of the office.
Larry
Edited by Larrys 5/15/2007 6:22 PM
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| Read this leaflet...talks about vhs above 15 degrees celsius...(59 degrees F).....this is NOT an immediate death sentence for all walleyes in winnie...
Article states "Deaths from VHS rarely occur at temperatures above 15°C."
In a hatchery situation...
Although VHS rarely occurs above 15°C, disease control by temperature manipulation has not been described. Selective breeding to increase host resistance to VHS has not been successful.
http://www.lsc.usgs.gov/fhb/leaflets/83.asp#clinical |
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Member
Posts: 213
Location: Forest Lake, MN | I find it interesting that since I started this post, maybe I've missed some thing but not one person has mentioned salmonid aquaculture, where this disease was first recognized and serious questions have raised about transportation of fish long before this variant of VHS was ever found. How many salmon/trout farms are there around the great lakes, and I'd start with around where that Muskie came from back in 2003.
" In addition, cage culture of salmonids occurs on the Ontario side of the Great Lakes , though not on the U.S. sides." from
Viral Hemorrhagic
Septicemia in the
Great Lakes
July 2006
Emerging Disease Notice
Actually, I thought it would be some thing I was reading about several years ago, Hematopoietic Necrosis that was going to jump species first.
I'm 100% against untreated ballast dumping, but to make informed decisions be sure to look under all the rocks.
I'm going to say some thing very unpopular here. Start thinking no live wells in your boats, no minnows or water related bait. The only water will be the ice melting in your live well or cooler. If you don't like this idea, go back to Table 1 on the link http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/taf/emergingdiseasenotice_fil...
and check out of the two far right columns. It wasn't species specific but I took notice of the 20 to 80 percent die off in one of the other reports.
And why is it some one always wants to blame the birds. I think what they were saying, go put a stick in the water and take off for some other lake, you got the same odds of passing it as the bird. Is more likely you getting your pant leg wet loading your boat and heading to a new lake will pass it. If you leg is still damp when you get to the next landing, depending on temp, your likely more a risk than a bird.
WarrenMN
When some one says, its too late to close the door, be sure it isn't the barn on fire.
Edited by WarrenMN 5/18/2007 12:50 PM
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Member
Posts: 378
Location: Omro,Wi. | There are many questions we have now, and I was just thinking while reading the posts, that if my livewells are full of water from Bago and I go to Butte des Morts or Poygan, I'm spreading the VHS bye recirculating water, using the same baits, poles, line almost everything including the net and carpet, can get it transferred. My livewells don't drain 100% unless my boat is on a angle, or the bilge for that fact. If I put it on the trailer at the launch and pull out part way to drain the boat, how long before someone gets mad waiting for me? If I pull the weeds off what do I do with them? Throw them on the ground? Back in the water? so the next guy can pull them off his boat? Even if they made a ramp with a garbage can and a water hose at every launch site, how many people would wait in line to use it? I think it's here to stay and I hope the fish do become imune to it in time, but the vast devistation in the beginning will make us sick to our stomachs, to say the least. We need to know what to do with infected fish, as far as our daily bag limit, and what if we find or catch a Sauger or Sturgeon all bloody, can we bring it back to shore? So many questions and hardly no answers from the DNR. I think they should get going and get the answers ASAP cause the fishing gettin hot and people are on the water more everyday. But the rich people can drive their boats from Little Lake Butte des Morts to the Wolf river if they want, good for them. Sorry if I sound like I have had enough of the DNR and Polititions catering to the wealthy, but I have. |
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Member
Posts: 1406
| Will the rest of the tourneys be catch and Kill this year?....Sounds like per the rules they must be now. Also all bait must be disposed of before leaving the landing as well. I would suspect that if C&R is going away we might see some bag limits reduced after our first major kill next spring. I believe the DNR has the authority to make these kinds of changes based on emergency situations. Can anyone verify that for me?
Good Luck
Tyee |
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Member
Posts: 213
Location: Forest Lake, MN | I was just thinking, Conesus Lake, NY is what you might say is a half a cycle ahead of Winnebago. It'd really help to know what's going on out there. This might be a good microcosm for what your going to be facing. Also be nice if there was a fish survey before VHS and as time goes by.
WarrenMN
Edited by WarrenMN 5/18/2007 11:19 PM
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| I wonder since I heard fish are more susceptible at getting VHS at certain water temps will the shallowness of Bago hurt or help that theory. I know the great lakes are deep and cold. |
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