Fish farms face crippling federal ban on shipping
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Wednesday, November 01, 2006 By Rob Kirkbride
The Grand Rapids Press
rkirkbride@grpress.com
When Dan Vogler was asked to attend a meeting in Washington, D.C., aimed at stopping the spread of a fish-killing virus, he didn't know it was his business that could go belly-up.
"Last week, we were moving ahead and having meetings and discussing what we could bring to the table," said Vogler, whose Harrietta Hills Trout Farm west of Cadillac hatches more than 400,000 fish a year.
"We woke up to find out that there was an interstate ban on our fish."
Last week's emergency federal order forbids shipping live fish from Michigan and seven other Great Lakes states. This week's meeting was scheduled to discuss ways to stop the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia in fish.
The ban is hurting Michigan's aquaculture industry.
Although small and fragmented, fish farming is a growing business. Aquaculture sales in Michigan increased from $2.03 million in 1998 to $2.4 million in 2005, an 18 percent increase, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The ban also could hurt Michigan anglers. Bait minnows, many of which are shipped from out of state, could be in short supply.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service -- the same government agency that monitors the country for bird flu -- issued the order last week banning the interstate movement of 37 fish species.
The ban includes rainbow trout, grown on Vogler's farm. It also covers perch and bass.
The virus appears to have spread to the Great Lakes through ballast water brought in by freighters. It is believed to have caused a large die-off in the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River last spring. The fear is lakes Huron and Michigan also could see large fish kills.
The virus does not affect humans and cannot be contracted by eating fish.
Fish farmers aren't the only ones surprised by the federal ban. Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials were not consulted, spokeswoman Ann Wilson said.
"This caught everybody involved off guard," said Wilson, adding the DNR is reviewing the order's legality.
Dave Yonkman, spokesman for U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, said no one has contacted the congressman seeking intervention against the ban.
Jim Rogers, spokesman for the agency that issued the ban, said the government reacted quickly when it found the virus could spread to a larger number of fish species than previously thought.
"It's not our goal to close markets," he said. "It is our goal to protect markets."
That's little solace to Vogler, who said he has to decide "whether my family can buy a gallon of milk for the table this week."
Harrietta Hills Trout Farm grows fish used to stock ponds and rivers and trout that will end up on the dinner plate. Last year it shipped 125,000 pounds of fish.
"We ship 70 percent of our production outside the state. You do the math," said Vogler, adding he can't understand why fish farms are being targeted when none has been found with the virus.
"As of last Tuesday, we're out of business, so we need a solution," Vogler said, adding he would like to contribute to the discussion. "But they've got to take the tourniquet off my neck before I can talk."
Stoney Creek Fisheries in Grant lucked out.
It received a shipment of black crappie from out of state the day before the ban took effect, said Sam Plottel, general manager of fisheries.
Most of Stoney Creek's fish are used to stock ponds with perch, bluegills, catfish, bass and trout. The company also sells pond supplies, such as pumps, filters and liners.
"Man, talk about getting in under the wire," he said. "Many others were not as fortunate as we were. We hope they come up with a plan that makes everybody happy."
It is unclear how long the ban will hold. Environmentalists support the effort, but hope for a better solution soon.
"This is a reasonable first step," said Hugh McDiarmid Jr., communications director at the Michigan Environmental Council. "But we would hate to see the bait dealers and fish factories stuck this way for a long time."
Fish farmers say the clock already is ticking.
"If this drags on into a matter of months, we're dead (as an industry)," Vogler said. "It's a total disaster and it's totally unnecessary."