VHS in the Great Lakes and what this means for Idaho

1. VHS in the Great Lakes and what this means for Idaho Keith Johnson, Doug Burton, and Doug Munson Eagle Fish Health Laboratory, IDFG

2. Why should Idaho be concerned? • 16 of Idaho sport fish are susceptible, including trout, salmon, bass, crappie, perch, walleye, and forage species • Commercial trout industry is concerned • Vectors exist that could bring it to Idaho • 20 years of surveillance in Idaho has been negative

3. Untreatable viral disease VHS is an “emergency, notifiable” disease by the World Animal Health Organization, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and Idaho Department of Agriculture Detection of VHSV requires Destruction of the stock andDisinfection VHS does not infect humans Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is the most serious disease of cultured fish worldwide

4. Herring Rainbow trout Walleye

5. Disease Signs of VHSV Hemorrhagic: Causes leaking of blood from vessels under the skin and in internal organs Septicemia: Virus in blood and spreads throughout the body in circulation Pop eye: Caused by pressure of hemorrhage pushing beneath the eye But: Disease Signs are not always present

6. How bad can it get? • 2006 Freshwater Drum mortality in Lake Erie totaled millions of pounds • “Windrows of fish” along the beach piled up 10’ wide and 4’ high • Detected only from wild stocks-no hatchery stocks infected yet • Predators are infected from infected forage species

7. Current VHS Outbreaks:2007 St. Lawrence R. Lake Huron Budd Lake* Lake Ontario Lake Winnebago* Lake Michigan Lake St. Clair Conesus Lake* Lake Erie Summer, 2007 NYDEC Surveillance

8. Black Crappie Bluegill Bluntnose Minnow Brown Bullhead Brown Trout Burbot Channel catfish Chinook Salmon Emerald Shiner Freshwater Drum Gizzard Shad Lake Whitefish Largemouth Bass Muskellunge Pike Pumpkinseed Rainbow Trout Rock Bass Round Goby Shorthead Redhorse Silver Redhorse Smallmouth Bass Spottail Shiner Walleye White Bass White Perch Yellow Perch VHS Susceptible Freshwater Species (revised Nov, 2007)

9. Genetic Differences in North American VHS Isolates Coastal virus hosts are marine baitfish like herring and anchovies, some predators Great Lakes hosts are baitfish and wide variety of predators Genetic analysis shows Great Lakes VHS has an East Coast origin 3.7%-5% 2.1%

10. Great Lakes VHSHow did it get into the Great Lakes ecosystem? • Possibilities • By movement of infected fish • Sport fishing (bait minnows, contaminated fishing equipment, contaminated live well water, illegal fish stocking) • Boating • Commercial Ballast Water • Basically – We don’t know how it got here

11. VHS Vectors for IDAHO • Movement of infected live fish, including baitfish is a proven vector • VHS virus persists in frozen fish so frozen baitfish are a potential vector for Idaho • Great Lakes VHS virus survives for a month in freshwater outside of a fish

12. Federal Order by APHIS • VHS Federal Order was issued in October, 2006 • Emergency Action taken to prevent the spread of VHS • Must be followed-up by formal rulemaking expected soon- winter, 2008

13. Current Provisions Under the APHIS Federal Order for VHS • VHS susceptible species are prohibited from moving out of the 8 States and 2 Canadian Provinces bordering the Great Lakes except under certain conditions: • Movement to slaughter or research and diagnostic labs with adequate disinfection • Movement of live fish testing negative for VHSV by laboratory assays • Movement of salmonids from Canada that meet USFWS Title 50 inspection requirements

14. Implications of VHS for Idaho • 20 years surveillance has been negative in cultured and wild fish • Idaho sport fishing valued at $360 million • Trout industry valued at $110 million at risk • ESA-listed anadromous salmon-would these be destroyed if positive (?) • IDFG, ISDA, USFWS, USDA APHIS, commercial aquaculture, and tribal programs need to work cooperatively to prevent introduction

15. What has IDFG done to reduce the risk of introduction? • Live fish for bait prohibited (1938) • Banned importation of all live fish and frozen baitfish from Great Lakes Basin • Supported APHIS Federal Order • Partnering with Idaho Department of Agriculture and trout industry • Import permits of all fish are required from ISDA and IDFG • Imports allowed only from inspected sources • 2008 IDFG Fishing Rules prohibit use of live aquatic baits

16. ISDA Emergency Rule • Issued Sept 1, 2007 • All imported fish and eggs require negative inspection results for reportable viruses, including VHS • Import permits required from IDFG & ISDA • Inspections of imports for disease and permits is provided by ISDA & IDFG rules

17. Captive Wildlife Rules of IdahoProvide for IDFG & ISDA Cooperation • Import of live fish permitted by ISDA & IDFG • Releases must be approved by IDFGIDAPA 13.01.11.101 and I.C. 36-7 • Inspection for disease and genetic traits of private pond fish (IDAPA 13.01.10.101.04 & 02.04.21.660) both by IDFG and ISDA • Records of sales of fish retained for 3 years (I.C. 22-4602) for traceback

18. What more can be done? • Minimize Risks of potential vectors: • Private ponds: require virus inspection of all suppliers • Importations of live fish must exclude baitfish • Aquatic baits other than fish • Education of anglers to reduce risks • Support ISDA on Emergency Import Rule • Enforcement of existing import and release rules • Idaho Fish Health and Sterility Management Policy addresses details of import, transport, and release to public waters and private ponds