Budd Lake - Fish Disease Returns to Central Michigan Lake

Topics concerning muskellunge and fisheries research, diseases, stocking and management.
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Hamilton Reef
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Budd Lake - Fish Disease Returns to Central Michigan Lake

Post by Hamilton Reef » Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:08 am

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2011

Contacts: Todd Grischke 517-373-6762, Gary Whelan 517-373-6948 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

Fish Disease Returns to Central Michigan Lake

The Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the reappearance of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in Budd Lake in central Michigan.

The 175-acre lake in central Clare County experienced a die-off of largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegills, and pumpkinseed sunfish in late April and early May this year. A similar die-off involving bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and muskellunge occurred in the spring of 2007, and the VHS virus was identified in the lake from that mortality. Despite annual monitoring since 2007, the VHS virus was undetected through 2010.

DNR biologists and technicians responded to calls from the public in early May to investigate the reported fish kill, collecting samples of largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill and pumpkinseed that were sent the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory at Michigan State University. Test results received this week indicate that both large- and smallmouth bass were positive for VHS virus; the results for the other species are still pending.

VHS is known to cause large-scale mortalities in fish populations over short periods of time. Infected fish may exhibit hemorrhaging in the skin including large red patches, small pin-point spots of minor hemorrhaging, or no external signs at all. Sick fish will often appear listless, swim in circles, or hang just below the surface. They don’t flee from humans or boats and are easily netted or caught by hand. VHS only infects fish; humans are not susceptible to the virus.

Budd Lake is one of only two inland lakes in Michigan -- Baseline Lake in Washtenaw County is the other -- where the presence of the VHS virus has been confirmed. It was not known if the virus was still present in the lake in the four years since the last mortality.

“These test results confirm the continued presence of the virus in Budd Lake and reinforces the continued need for anglers and boaters to follow our regulations that are designed to prevent VHS virus from spreading,” said acting-Lake Huron Basin Coordinator Todd Grischke. “It is important that anglers and boaters not move live fish between waters, empty live wells and bilges when leaving a body of water, and disinfect and clean their equipment to prevent the spread of VHS virus to other waters.”

“New restrictions concerning movement of fish out of Budd Lake are unlikely at this time,” said DNR Fish Production Manager Gary Whelan, who oversees fish disease management for the agency. “Regulations already in place since 2007 restrict the harvest and use of fish and baitfish from VHS-positive waters, and Budd Lake is included in that category. Boaters on Budd Lake are reminded to carefully dry and disinfect boats and trailers before launching in other waters to minimize the likelihood of spreading the virus.”

Additional information on VHS virus and on the ways that anglers and boaters can prevent the spread of this pathogen and other undesirable organisms and plants is available on www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

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Will Schultz
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Post by Will Schultz » Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:06 pm

Perfect spring for VHS with the long period of cold water. Thankfully this is the only outbreak we've heard about so far.
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swanezy
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Post by swanezy » Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:00 pm

Do fish look a certain way when they are dead or dying from VHS?

Why is it that every year on Murray there are so many dead gills, or they all have that bacterial fungus they are dying from

swanezy
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Post by swanezy » Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:04 pm

nm looked up what they look like when dying from VHS.

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Will Schultz
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Post by Will Schultz » Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:14 pm

swanezy wrote:Do fish look a certain way when they are dead or dying from VHS?

Why is it that every year on Murray there are so many dead gills, or they all have that bacterial fungus they are dying from
Winter is tough on fish and most lakes get a post-winter kill. This is one of the reasons VHS can cause such huge problems. However, so far what we've seen (my opinion and not that of the DNR or DEQ) is fish populations need to have additional stressors for VHS to be a factor. Basically, a healthy population isn't impacted but other disease issues and water quality problems contribute to VHS causing fish kills. In my opinion we don't have just two inland lakes with VHS, we have many lakes with VHS but there have only been documented fish kills in two inland lakes that can be attributed to VHS.

To answer your question about what they look like here's a pdf with the clinical signs of VHS: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/v ... 0459_7.pdf
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