VHS News

[Fishmaster]

Here is the official MNR position, replacing all decisions made last week:

 

STAFF GUIDELINES

CONTROL OF VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA (VHS)

MARCH 29, 2007

 

The following guidelines are provided for clarity and consistency in the implementation of management actions to document and control the spread of VHS from currently documented VHS positive waters to other waters within the province. Questions or unusual circumstances not covered in the guidelines should be directed to the appropriate staff contact.

 

1) Definition of positive waters

VHS positive waters are now defined as the waters of Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron (including Georgian Bay), their connecting waterways and adjacent tributaries up to the first impassable barrier for all fish species. Where fish are manually transferred over barriers or pass through a fishway, that barrier will not be considered to be impassable. Low head lamprey weirs or dams that do not normally stop salmonid passage also are not considered impassable. Waters associated with the Rideau Lakes/Trent Severn waterways are considered to be VHS free at the current time.

 

MNR is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to undertake a surveillance program for 2007 to provide better information on the current distribution of VHS.

 

2) Wild spawn collections

 

a) Salmonids – No restrictions will be imposed on collection of salmonid eggs from VHS positive waters if all eggs are disinfected during water-hardening as per the MNR VHS disinfection protocol (dated October 10, 2006). Spawn collections (any species) from positive waters without disinfection in accordance with the approved protocol, will only be approved if the rearing facility is located in VHS positive waters and all fish in the facility will be stocked into VHS positive waters.

 

Any new licences (Licence to Collect Fish for Aquaculture) issued for the collection of gametes for salmonids from positive waters should contain the following condition to avoid restrictions as per a) above:

 

“All wild salmonid eggs collected must be treated during water hardening according to the MNR approved VHS-disinfection protocol (dated October 10, 2006) and documented for reporting to and audit by MNR”

 

A practical disinfection procedure based on the MNR VHS-disinfection protocol is described in Fish Culture Technical Bulletin – Best Management Practices – Egg Disinfection and Incubation Procedures, BMP 2007- 01 (separate attachment). Appropriate measures must also be taken to avoid VHS cross-contamination of the eggs, equipment and rearing facilities. Refer to the BMP bulletin for applicable procedures and recommended practices.

 

Walleye – There currently is no approved disinfection procedure for non-salmonids. Walleye spawn collections from positive waters will only be allowed if they are to be stocked into positive waters and the receiving culture facility is located in the VHS-positive zone (i.e., discharges effluent to positive waters). The Ministry will endeavour to supply, free of charge, reasonable numbers of eggs to partner non-profit groups from its internal VHS-free captive adult walleye stock for projects where genetics are not a concern. If supplies allow and partner requests are met, the Ministry will also supply eggs to the private sector on a cost recovery basis (approximately $21/1000) or equivalent (exchange of fish such as catchable rainbow trout for eggs). There is also the option to look for other spawn collection sources outside of VHS positive waters.

 

Walleye egg collections that have historically collected from identified VHS positive waters to meet partner and private sector requirements, should be screened and prioritized by the applicable district. Districts are encouraged to proactively contact impacted partners and private sector operators to determine their interest in receiving eggs. Requirements should be forwarded from the District Stocking Coordinator to Scott Watson by April 23rd, 2007, so that decisions can be made on distributions of available Ministry eggs.

 

c) Muskellunge - Fish culture staff are currently working with district staff and two partners including Sir Sandford Fleming College to develop a process for muskellunge egg collections, VHS-disinfection, culture using appropriate bio-secure facilities and fish health testing of fish for Lake Simcoe and a Great Lakes rehabilitation request. Details on this process will be provided separately as they develop, to appropriate individuals involved with the project.

 

Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program (CFWIP) applications should only be approved and funded for any projects that are in compliance with these guidelines. Conditions in letters of agreement with partners should reflect any necessary controls as per the guidelines.

 

Any other egg collections from positive waters, other than the above should be discussed with MNR.

 

 

3) Aquaculture operations

 

Fish currently in facilities (private or partner) where eggs were collected prior to this spring will not have restrictions retroactively placed on stocking or transfers.

 

Any eggs, or fish cultured from eggs, collected from VHS positive waters this spring and henceforth for which the proponent cannot certify or demonstrate that their eggs, fish or facility water supply are VHS free will be restricted to stocking into VHS positive waters only. This could include demonstrating their eggs were properly disinfected and their water supply is outside of VHS positive waters, or that fish health testing has indicated the fish are VHS free.

 

Use of live feeds (i.e., sucker fry, minnows or other wild-origin fish species) for feeding any fish at rearing facilities must also comply with these spawn collection and aquaculture operations guidelines. Use of such live feed is generally not recommended as it poses a fish health risk to culture operations. If live feed is used it must come from VHS-free water sources. Live feeds taken from VHS-positive waters will result in a VHS-positive designation for the rearing facility and all fish produced at that facility, in which case the facility must be located in the VHS-positive zone and all its fish must either be stocked only in positive waters or killed for processing before leaving the rearing site.

 

CFWIP applications should only be approved and funded for any projects that are in compliance with these guidelines. Conditions in letters of agreement with partners should reflect any necessary controls as per the guidelines.

 

4) Harvest and transfer of baitfish

 

MNR is working with the BAO to implement the following changes:

• Expanding the VHS positive zone to include FMZ’s 13 and 14.

• Redefining the VHS positive zone boundary to include barriers to fish migration on tributaries and road networks based on local assessment

• Removing the interim Buffer control zone

• Re-instatement of commercial harvest within the VHS positive zone subject to additional restrictions on fish movement to within the zone only

The above will require licence amendments for all commercial bait licences. Guidelines are forthcoming that will provide a consistent and timely approach to these changes once a final approach has been developed and approved. This is expected by early May.

 

 

5) Fishway operations and fish transfers

 

Movement of migratory fish over barriers via fishways or by manual transfer, that were in place for 2006 or earlier, will continue to be allowed for 2007 spring and fall. No new fish passage will be considered without an impact assessment which evaluates criteria including:

• species of fish impacted and involved,

• number of fish in the spawning run,

• relative importance of spawning population/recruitment

• amount of additional water to which access is gained,

• impacts on other resource users, and

• the status of the species being considered.

 

Fish and Wildlife Branch approval is required to approve any new expansion due to transfers or fishways. Circumstances and requests should be forwarded to Steve Kerr.

 

The decision to allow ongoing fishway operations and transfers for 2007 is for a one year period pending acquisition of better surveillance information, additional consultation with stakeholders and a detailed risk assessment of each location to determine a longer term position. This will be completed prior to the 2008 spring operations. Further details will be provided on this process once available.

 

CFWIP applications should only be approved and funded for any projects that are in compliance with these guidelines. Conditions in letters of agreement with partners should reflect any necessary controls as per the guidelines.

 

6) Scientific collector’s permits

 

The Ministry has limited authority to impose additional conditions based on the current OFRs. The Ministry can request, however, the applicant to address specific concerns as part of the application process and consider the applicant’s response and proposed controls in deciding whether to issue a permit or not. Applications for Scientific Collector permits for collection and transfer of live fish from VHS positive waters must address collection, disposal of fish and treatment of effluent to minimize spread of VHS.

 

A copy of Best Management Practices are being prepared and will be available in the near future. These should be provided, once available, with all approved Scientific Collector permits involving fish collected from VHS positive waters.

 

7) Transport and sale of live commercial (food) fish

 

Transport and sale of live fish is considered a low risk. The Ministry will implement an education/public awareness campaign targeted at live fish wholesalers and retailers to minimize potential for spread of VHS through this activity.

 

 

Glenn

[Handlebarz]

Man thats alot of stuff to go over thanks for the update

[fishindevil]

Yes there is sure alot of information there,i hope this VHS does not devistate fish stocks as this will have a huge impact on the local economies of fishing areas and towns....i hope they stop this or at the very least figure something out like how to treat the waters that are affected....

[chilli]

You may be back in business Steve.

Taken From: OFAH WEBSITE

 

New Measures to Control Spread of Fish Virus

Author: N/A

Source: Ministry of Natural Resources March 30, 2007

 

 

New Measures to Control Spread of Fish Virus

Strategy Aims to Control Virus While Allowing Spawning

 

TORONTO — The Ontario government is taking further action to control the spread of a new fish virus in Ontario, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay announced today.

 

“We are taking additional steps to control the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia while allowing natural spawning runs to continue this spring, including the operation of fishways and people moving fish over dams and barriers, to maintain important stocks of fish,” said Ramsay. “The measures are part of Ontario’s comprehensive, ecologically based response to this new fish disease.”

 

Last week, ministry staff and partners were asked to delay any planned actions in virus-positive waters, particularly the opening of fishways, fish transfers and spawn collection, in rivers and streams flowing into the lower Great Lakes until a decision was reached on a one-year management strategy.

 

New measures under the one-year strategy include:

 

* Broadening the definition of virus-positive waters to include lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron (including Georgian Bay) and their connecting waterways and tributaries up to the first impassable barrier, excluding fishways

* Operating all fishways and allowing existing manual transfers of fish over barriers into the same watershed

* Requiring salmon spawn and trout spawn from virus-positive waters to be disinfected according to the MNR protocol or transferred only to a facility in virus-positive waters

* Allowing walleye spawn collection from virus-positive waters only if the fish are stocked into virus-positive waters and the receiving fish culture facility is located in a virus-positive zone

* Allowing eggs, or fish cultured from eggs, collected from virus-positive waters to be stocked outside of virus-positive waters only if the facility can be certified virus-free.

 

In January 2007, the ministry announced measures to control the harvest and transport of live bait used by anglers while ice fishing across Ontario. These measures are being modified in response to new information about the distribution of the virus, and to allow bait harvesters and dealers in the virus-positive zone to resume limited operation.

 

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia was first identified in 2005 after a die-off of fish in the Bay of Quinte in Lake Ontario. The virus has now been found in 16 species of fish in the lower Great Lakes, including walleye and chinook salmon. There could be serious ecological, social and economic impacts if the virus continues to spread to Ontario’s inland waters.

 

−30 –

 

Contacts:

Media Calls Only

Anne-Marie Flanagan

Minister’s Office

416-327-0654 / 416-268-3690 (Cell) Jolanta Kowalski

Communications Services Branch

416-314-2106

 

NEW MEASURES TO CONTROL

VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA IN ONTARIO

 

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is a viral disease previously found in several species of freshwater and saltwater fish in Europe, Japan, and the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America, that has recently been discovered in fish in the lower Great Lakes.

 

It does not pose a threat to human health but it does pose a threat to Ontario’s fish stocks. Fish with the virus are safe to eat. Ontario has developed a comprehensive, ecologically based response to the virus. Under the new one-year management strategy, the following measures are effective immediately:

 

Definition of Virus-positive Waters:

 

* The definition of virus-positive waters now includes lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron (including Georgian Bay) and their connecting waterways and tributaries up to the first impassable barrier, excluding fishways.

 

Fishways and Fish Transfers Over Barriers

 

* All fishways will be operated and existing manual transfers of fish over barriers into the same watershed will continue for 2007.

 

Wild Spawn Collection – Salmon and Trout Species

 

* Eggs from virus-positive waters may be collected if all the eggs are disinfected according to the ministry’s protocol.

* All other spawn collection from virus-positive waters will only be allowed if the eggs go to a facility in virus-positive waters and all fish in the facility are stocked back into virus-positive waters.

 

Wild Spawn Collection – Walleye

 

* There is currently no approved disinfection process for walleye eggs.

* Walleye spawn may only be collected from virus-positive waters if the fish are stocked into virus-positive waters and the receiving fish culture facility is located in a virus-positive zone.

* The ministry will work to supply virus-free walleye eggs to partner non-profit groups.

 

Fish Stocking and Transfers

 

* Any eggs, or fish cultured from eggs, collected from virus-positive waters will be allowed to be stocked outside of virus-positive waters only if the facility can be certified virus-free. This does not apply to fish already in the hatcheries from collections made last spring.

 

Commercial Bait Fish Harvest and Transfers

 

* In early January 2007, the ministry announced measures to control the harvest and transport of live bait used by anglers while ice fishing across Ontario.

* These measures are being modified in response to new information about the distribution of the virus, and to allow bait harvesters and dealers in the virus-positive zone to resume limited operation.

 

-30-

 

Contact:

 

John Cooper

Lake Erie Management Unit

Ministry of Natural Resources

519-873-4613

 

This article has been viewed 27 times

 

 

Articles posted on media watch may not always reflect the policies or positions of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

Please direct questions or comments to O.F.A.H. via our online contact form.

[Fishmaster]

Spoke with Mr.Cooper today i still got no positive answer .....

[JFR]

Check out the 2007 Muskie Odyessy

 

http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5367

 

Dr. John Casselman, foremost authority on VHS will be giving a presentation on this topic. Should be of interest to a fisherpersons, not just musky anglers.

 

Hope to see you there

 

John

[mpt]

Gov't out of control.....

 

 

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article.../704010661/1058