VHS, Lake Erie
A virus that causes fish to bleed to death is expected to strike Lake Erie shores again this summer, endangering hatcheries. An outbreak killed hundreds of perch and sheepshead last spring and, wildlife experts predict even more deaths this spring as the virus spreads to more areas of the lake.
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, has infected at least 37 fish species throughout the Great Lakes. The virus can cause fish to bloat and hemorrhage before dying. But it poses no threat to humans even if they eat infected fish.
It showed up in Lake Erie last spring, after water temperatures rose. The optimal temperature for the virus is 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Erie water temperatures currently range from the upper 30s to low 50s.
Outbreaks have been greatest in the St. Lawrence Seaway and lakes Erie, Ontario and St. Clair, and are a top priority at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The agency held public meetings on the virus in January and is drafting an interim rule regulating the interstate movement of affected species.
Fish experts say the biggest worry is stopping the virus before it spreads out of the Great Lakes into hatcheries and inland waterways. Researchers are trying to kill the virus in walleye eggs so the eggs can be used in hatcheries.
May 2, 2007 6:42 AM | Category: Fish, Lake Erie