VHS- implications on Lake Simcoe ice fishing.

[Roy]

Province Takes Steps To Control Spread Of Fish Disease

 

December 22, 2011

 

McGuinty Government Protects Lake Simcoe Waters

 

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is working to address a fish virus known as Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS).

 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that VHS has been detected in several species of fish from Lake Simcoe. MNR is establishing a new management zone around the Lake Simcoe watershed to address the potential spread of VHS to other inland waters and the spread of invasive species to Lake Simcoe.

 

As a result, commercial bait operators will be prohibited from moving commercial baitfish into or out of the new Lake Simcoe Management Zone beginning January 1st 2012. Anglers are asked to buy baitfish when they arrive to fish in the Lake Simcoe area and not take baitfish out of the area.

 

The geographic range of this virus in Ontario waters has expanded recently. The virus was first detected in Lake Ontario in 2005. To determine its range, the CFIA has been monitoring Ontario and Quebec waters since 2007.

 

VHS is a virus that can weaken and kill fish. Not all fish carrying the VHS virus show signs of disease. As with any dead or dying fish or wildlife, pets should not be allowed to eat or come into contact with them. Fish carrying the VHS virus pose no risk to human health.

 

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is committed to discussing long-term strategies to maintain a healthy fishery and bait industry with input from key stakeholders and the public.

 

QUICK FACTS

 

In response to the initial discovery of VHS in Ontario, the government set up the VHS Management Zone.

 

The new Lake Simcoe Management Zone (pdf) is separate from the VHS Management Zone.

 

The ministry, in partnership with the CFIA, monitors VHS in Ontario by sampling high risk lakes, studying fish die-offs, and conducting random sampling across the province.

 

LEARN MORE

 

• Find out more about Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia.
• Read about Lake Simcoe Protection Plan

[Roy]

I've posted this here to give everyone a chance to read and understand it. It'll go up to the news section after sufficient time has passed.

 

Thanks

[Skipper D]

They said they were going to clean up Simcoe , nice to see . Thank you Roy for bringing it to the for front .

Edited December 22, 2011 by Skipper " D "

[dhickey]

Thanks Roy.

 

Still the fundimental rules apply.

 

DO NOT TRANSPORT LIVE BAIT...!!!

[jedimaster]

Wow... Good to know. I didn't hear about this at all. Might also be good info if someone posted all of the bait shops in the various common areas. Orillia, Barrie, Innisfil, Keswick, Sutton etc...

[Roy]

I didn't hear about this at all.

 

It only was made public late this morning.

[misfish]

I only use local (I hope they are) from Jacobs,when I fish pike after the 15th of March. Maggots the odd time and mousies when I can find them for perch and crappie. Other then that,it jiggy jiggy,for this guy.

 

 

Thanks for post me brudder.

[Roy]

This is what's known as a "bump" because I think this is an important enough piece of information that everyone planning to fish the Simcoe area after December 31st. should read and understand it.

 

This was given to us for release by Wil Wegman and if there's anyone out there who knows what's happening, it's Wil Wegman.

[Rob]

I wonder if this was related to the big die off of fish that occurred in the spring this year after ice out?

 

 

Rob C

[Roy]

I wonder if this was related to the big die off of fish that occurred in the spring this year after ice out?

 

 

Rob C

 

It could be, Rob, but winter die offs are a fairly common occurrence.

[Nipfisher]

North Bay bait shops started advertising today. "Emerald Shiners". Wonder how long they will have them for?

[BillM]

Bait prices up north are going to skyrocket!

[richyb]

"Fish carrying the VHS virus pose no risk to human health`

 

 

I almost had a tear in my eye thinking I wouldnt be able to eat any whities this winter.

[Twocoda]

North Bay bait shops started advertising today. "Emerald Shiners". Wonder how long they will have them for?

 

better question ....wonder where they got them from? farmed? or harvested from "another" lake?...someone should inquire when they purchase some

[Nipfisher]

better question ....wonder where they got them from? farmed? or harvested from "another" lake?...someone should inquire when they purchase some

 

 

The article stated...... shipments were already sent to Nipissing and Temagami regions. The ban takes affect in 2012 so what was already ordered / purchased and delivered is still o.k.

[dhickey]

I hate to be the one to beare bad news but central Ontario has been infected since 2005 .(At least)

 

Regions north /west and east probably are infected as well.

 

To say that a lockdown around Simcoe will solve the problem is nieve at best.

 

I say this because bait shops in Ontario were hit with regulations hard in or about 2005 in order to prevent the spread of invasive organisims/viruses/bacteria/plants as well as infected baitfish.VHS.

 

Just to say.

How many established bait shops have you seen fold down in the last 5 yrs?

 

I can list at least 3 in a small area south of barrie and several others east of Peterborough.

 

So can vhs be stoped? Probably not. At this piont we have to hope that it doesnt affect our health in the future due to mutation.?

 

 

The other argument revolves around evolution??(not religion pls) Do we let this virus run its course or take drasstick steps to couteract it?

 

If it is allowd to run its course are you as an angler willing to adjust to declined catch limmits or more regulations governing your fishing habbits???

 

Personaly I think that we are in for about 20yrs of adjustment.

 

Hopefully this will spawn a new breed of anglers willing to carry the flame of conservation and preservation through knowlage /experiance and understanding.

 

Just my thoughts.

Ill take quality over quantity..

To quote another memmber "LET THEM GO LET THEM GROW"

[misfish]

I wonder if this was related to the big die off of fish that occurred in the spring this year after ice out?

 

 

Rob C

 

 

This happens every year Rob. Just take a walk at the marina and Heritage park after ice out.

[outllaw]

Its been known just not announced about vhs. l.erie walleyes worth billions in commercial industrys were tested positive years ago. as for goverment containment. good luck its not going to happen. .vhs can lay dormant for years, then a kill can happen.

lsc, has seen this happen in a large way. Over 30.000 muskies died in one swoop of this disease.

[Jer]

The article stated...... shipments were already sent to Nipissing and Temagami regions. The ban takes affect in 2012 so what was already ordered / purchased and delivered is still o.k.

 

 

 

If the Ministry really wanted to do something, rather than just the appearance of doing something (like most government legislation), they would order those minnows destroyed. It's not as if the virus is waiting for the new year...

[Fish Farmer]

Thanks Roy, I just posted it on our club site. Wil just did a very interesting seminar at our last meeting,the guys were very impressed, said we need more speakers like him.

[_Ra_]

If the Ministry really wanted to do something, rather than just the appearance of doing something (like most government legislation), they would order those minnows destroyed. It's not as if the virus is waiting for the new year...

 

I found that odd. To me there are two ways to go about this:

 

- Let the virus run its course without worrying about it. Take no measures to stop it

- Try to stop it from spreading, this would include destroying minnows that were shipped. There's a very high probability some of these have VHS.

 

What they're doing seems like a pointless half-way solution. Like you said, for appearance more than anything else.

[corvette1]

they just lifted our ban in ny for lake erie now we can dip and transport buy truck before it was just by boat

[lhousesoccer]

.

Edited August 12, 2014 by vtbass

[Fisherman]

What was already shipped from Simcoe to Nip and other areas may be infected by VHS. It didn't just "show up" the day they detected it. There's a very real chance that the bait that's been shipped in the last few months or more may be responsible for VHS showing up in Nipissing, Temagami and other waters in the next year or two.

 

I think you hit that one pretty much square on. I don't suppose any testing has been done yet in the northern waters.