Viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, is an infectious fish disease that appears to be spreading rapidly and threatens to wreak havoc on fish populations in areas throughout the Midwestern and Northeastern U.S.   Vermont has already implemented regulations, hopeful to prevent the spread of the disease, and it appears that Minnesota is following suit.

Regulations to prevent VHS spread involve thorough fish testing protocols and restricted movement of fish among lakes and streams.  The threat of VHS will certainly influence the thriving baitfish industries in many of these areas and restrict the ability of fishermen to collect live bait for fishing.   Failure to prevent VHS spread, however, may result in much more crippling effects to fish populations and the anglers who pursue them.

Read more about VHS here 

This winter, the state of Vermont imposed some serious baitfish regulations in an attempt to slow or prevent the spread of VHS (Viral hemorrhagic septicemia), a viral disease that can cause high fish mortality. 

VHS is currently widespread in the Great Lakes and has been quickly spreading to fish populations in surrounding areas.  While not currently found in Vermont, the state’s Fish and Wildlife Department fears that the virus may be brought into the state via the transport of baitfish.  So in order to reduce the potential for spread, emergency regulations were passed this winter that prohibit the harvest of any species of baitfish aside from smelt or perch, substantially prohibit the use of bait, and put strict regulations on bait dealers.   

The strict emergency regulations are set to expire in February, and public hearings are currently taking place at 5 locations around the state in order to draft more permanent regulations. 

Read more about the regulation details and meeting dates here

Read an article about the virus and regulations from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Wayne Laroche here

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources personell at Springville Fish Hatchery in Springville, Utah, have been forced to kill 60,000 trout after whirling disease has again been discovered in fish housed in the facility.  This is the second time since 2005 that the discovery of the disease has caused the hatchery to shut down. 

All of the Springville fish will be killed, and the hatchery will seek an alternative water supply from a deep underground aquifer before reopening the hatchery.

Whirling disease, which is caused by the parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, was first discovered in Germany and is now spread throughout the United States.  The disease causes skeletal deformation and neurological damage in juvenile fish, and causes high mortality rates to many fish populations, while having lesser effects on others.

Whirling disease can not be spread to humans.  The Utah DWR is shutting down the hatchery to prevent the possible spread of whirling disease to fish populations in the wild.

Salt Lake Tribune Article