Quinte Fishing

Just caught very tail end of CBC news and it showed Kevin and the commentary was about the fish fighting the disease? Whats up???

The news note you observed last night thankfully made it national. I saw it from where I am based outside of Vancouver and was very pleased. MNR has not been very forthcoming about what is known or unknown about this. My hat is off to whoever initiated this as it needed to be public in some sort of fashion be it the gentleman "Kevin ?" from the resort or whoever. I would suggest to members of the BOQ advisory board that observe this, to begin to press for a more transparent method of MNR in how it handles public affairs.

It was about a viral infection that has emerged in the Bay of Quinte and the US and a few other places. It has affected assorted species of fish and is fatal although it apparently is not transferrable to humans. Little is known about how it arrived it seems. The notion of ship ballasts has again emerged.

Just some tidbits. I would like to be an ombuddsman of some sort in Ontario for matters relating to the outdoors. Information or projects that are suppressed (including funding which affects the union enthusiasts that lurk here) or needlessly delayed is a poor way of doing business.

D Stokes

This is the virus that is beinbg discussed: I believe I posted this in July.

NEW: Lake Erie Yellow Perch & Drum affected by fish virus
Spiel -- Sat, Jul/1/06

Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council

Infection appears to be waning; poses no threat to human health

COLUMBUS, OH - A viral infection caused an extensive die off of yellow perch and freshwater drum (sheephead) in Lake Erie this spring, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) was detected for the first time in Lake Erie earlier this year. At this point, the infection appears to be waning and few fish have died in recent weeks. VHS poses no threat to human health.

“As the temperature of Lake Erie rises, the risk of fish becoming infected from VHS drops considerably,” said Jeff Tyson, fisheries biology supervisor with the division. “The optimal temperature for VHS to affect fish is 40 to 60 degrees
Fahrenheit. Lake Erie water temperature is now in the mid 60-degree range and getting warmer.”

VHS is a relatively common virus in Europe and Japan where it has affected fresh and saltwater fishes, primarily salmon species in aquaculture facilities. Prior to 2005, VHS was known mostly in saltwater and estuarine systems along the east and west coasts of North America. The virus was first detected in the Great Lakes region (Lake Ontario) in 2005.

Significant numbers of sheephead were found dead in the Western Basin of Lake Erie, beginning in mid April. Later, a less-severe die off of yellow perch was detected in the Central Basin. Testing conducted by the division on both fish species revealed VHS infection. A VHS outbreak also has been identified as causing a die off of round goby and muskellunge in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway this year

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David Delcloo aka Superdad
(Retired)

Kingston

VHS has also reared its ugly side to the musky fishing on LSC. Many dead muskies were found floating in the Detroit River this past spring. I have not heard much from the MNR in our area about what is being done. Once again maybe something should be brought to their attention. But I am not sure what could be done, they have had their boat on the dock since June and have no money for enforcement.
http://www.michiganmuskiealliance.org/f ... php?t=1507

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Get in, sit down, shut up and hold on !

Bob Devine
www.chartertalk.com

I saw it first hand this April when i was fishing the Detroit river for walleye.

Dead Muskies everywhere. It was unsettling to say the least.