Fatal fish virus to Minnesota's east has state DNR preparing for worst

[h2ofwlr]

Almanac: Fatal fish virus to Minnesota's east has state DNR preparing for worst
The news out of Wisconsin and Michigan last week was grim.

Doug Smith
Last update: May 19, 2007 ? 8:05 PM
http://www.startribune.com/outdoors/story/1193330.html

The news out of Wisconsin and Michigan last week was grim.
A fatal fish virus that has caused large fish kills on the Great Lakes has spread to Wisconsin's and Michigan's inland lakes.

And that has Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials concerned.

Here's what happened:

Wisconsin officials imposed emergency actions last week following the discovery of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) in the Lake Winnebago chain of lakes in eastern Wisconsin. The disease has been found in all of the Great Lakes except Lakes Michigan and Superior, but it has been spreading west, and officials expect it will soon be found in Lake Michigan.

However, the discovery of the disease in Wisconsin's inland waters was especially ominous. The fear is that it will continue to spread to more lakes, possibly causing major fish kills.

The virus can live in water and causes fish to bleed to death.

All Wisconsin anglers will be prohibited from moving live fish off all state waters if the virus turns up in one more inland lake or river, under an emergency rule adopted by the state Natural Resources Board. The Wisconsin DNR added the Lake Winnebago chain to a rule announced last month prohibiting the movement of live fish, including bait minnows and water, from the Great Lakes, Mississippi River and tributaries up to the first dam.

Also, Michigan officials announced last week that they found the virus in an inland lake, where it has killed crappies, bluegills and muskies.

The disease hasn't shown up in Minnesota, though officials are testing fish for the disease in Lake Superior and the St. Louis River near Duluth. And Minnesota has long prohibited the movement of live fish from the state's waters.

DNR officials plan to meet Monday to discuss the developments to the east and how Minnesota should react. The disease is believed to have entered the Great Lakes in the ballast of ocean-going ships, so officials had expected the disease to arrive here via the Great Lakes.

"I think it's inevitable it will get here; it's just, how quickly will it?" said Linda Erickson Eastwood, DNR fisheries program manager. "We anticipate it will cause a massive kill-off of a lot of different species; that's what they are seeing in other places."

Repeal dove hunting?

Minnesota's dove hunting season was reinstated in 2004, but if Rep. Mike Jaros, DFL-Duluth, has his way, that hunts will end. Though the Legislature is set to adjourn Monday, Jaros has introduced legislation prohibiting the hunting of mourning doves.

"I just can't understand why anyone would want to kill such small, innocent birds," Jaros said in a news release issued by the Humane Society of the United States and the Minnesota Humane Society. "There's no meat on them. I just can't see it."

Mourning doves are the nation's No. 1 gamebird; more are shot annually than all other migratory birds combined. Dove hunting in Minnesota was legalized in 2004 after being closed since 1946.


Doug Smith ? dsmith@startribune.com

[guythathunts]

I have a question about the dove hunting. Are they eaten? I don't think that hunting for only sport is bad... I crow hunt! I was just wondering (I don't know anything about the bird)...
~ Greg
PS. Do you think Dick or George will reply to the public on this?

[holdemtwice]

 yes ...   the4 dove breast is what we eat .  it is very tasty .   scott.