Certified VHS Bait? Does Canada?

[web-fisherman]

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is issuing this update on the presence of Viral Hemorrhagic Septecemia (VHS) Virus in New York State waters and a new federal order that restricts the interstate transport of certain live fish. The virus is a pathogen of fish and does not pose any threat to public health. It was first confirmed in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, and has now also been confirmed in Lake Erie.

 

VHS is a fish disease that causes the hemorrhaging of the fish's tissues, including internal organs. Often, fish do not exhibit any external signs of having the disease. The disease affects all sizes of fish and not all infected fish develop the disease, but can continue to carry it and spread it to others. There is no known cure for VHS. The impact of this particular strain of VHS on fish populations is uncertain. It has caused fish moralities ranging from a few fish impacted to thousands of fish impacted.

 

In order to combat the issue, All bait fish bought in a 's in New York State must be certified VHS free? Does Canada have a similar order?

[Guest skeeter99]

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is issuing this update on the presence of Viral Hemorrhagic Septecemia (VHS) Virus in New York State waters and a new federal order that restricts the interstate transport of certain live fish. The virus is a pathogen of fish and does not pose any threat to public health. It was first confirmed in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, and has now also been confirmed in Lake Erie.

 

VHS is a fish disease that causes the hemorrhaging of the fish's tissues, including internal organs. Often, fish do not exhibit any external signs of having the disease. The disease affects all sizes of fish and not all infected fish develop the disease, but can continue to carry it and spread it to others. There is no known cure for VHS. The impact of this particular strain of VHS on fish populations is uncertain. It has caused fish moralities ranging from a few fish impacted to thousands of fish impacted.

 

In order to combat the issue, All bait fish bought in a 's in New York State must be certified VHS free? Does Canada have a similar order?

 

 

yes and you are about a year late in this post, have been restrictions on bait for a while now

Edited February 16, 2009 by skeeter99

[jwl]

we have a sort of imaginary boundry....for example below the 401 and 402 is considered VHS possitive, and you are not supposed to transport bait from this area to above the 401-402 considered to be the VHS negative zone

 

this has been in place for a couple years now

 

another example of this is a walleye stocking program I am part of..since VHS was a big issue a couple eyars ago, when ti was determinined that our brood stock came from VHS possitive waters, we had to change the location of where we stocked our fish to what is also declared "possitive" waters, the same things are in effect for this seaosn as well..my 3rd year on the project but the MNR is also going to suppliment this year with 5000 fry from "negative" supplies and stock then where we used to stock them in the "negative" zone as a boost to the program

 

Same issues where also raised in the US pertaining to tournamant fishing ect where as the tourney might be held in one state but partcicpants fishing in the same body of water, but in a different state, there where issues surrpounding what they called "transporting" fish from state to another state ect...

[Zebco]

I don't think they are certified in Canada, just can't take them from one zone to the other.

[web-fisherman]

We need to have the receipt on us at all times when fishing or we get fined $500.00.

 

Thanks all!

[Roy]

We need to have the receipt on us at all times when fishing or we get fined $500.00.

 

Does this mean that it's illegal to trap your own baitfish in New York State now?