Andy the Winchman
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A very sad and scary time in Ontario, Canada, the home of the best Carp fishing in the world. 20 tonnes of dead carp were shipped off in one day alone due to this bacteria!
I hope it does not spread any further!
Printed from www.thepost.ca web site Monday, July 16, 2007 - ? 2007 The Lindsay Post
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Bacteria may be responsible carp die-off in several Kawartha lakes
JEANNE PENGELLY
Friday, July 13, 2007 - 09:00
Local News - A bacteria may be responsible for killing thousands of carp in several Kawartha lakes, including Pigeon Lake, say Ministry of Natural Resources officials.
A report from the University of Guelph testing lab released yesterday states the bacteria flavobacterium columnare was found in some of the fish samples taken from Sturgeon Lake.
Ministry biologist Dan Taillon said scientists believe the bacteria will not affect humans.
The optimal temperature for its growth is about 22 C, he said.
"The human body is an inhospitable environment for flavobacterium columnare to grow," he said.
Bacteria that cause human health concerns usually need temperatures of more than 40 C, he said.
He warned people handling fish to wear gloves and wash afterward as a precaution.
Peterborough County-City Health Unit officials declined to comment yesterday until the health protection director could be contacted. There was no alert posted on the health unit's website last night and all city and county beaches except Hiawatha were shown as having acceptable water for swimming.
If one were to eat a fish with the bacteria, Taillon said normally cooking a fish kills any bacteria that could be present.
Yet there is one big unanswered question, Taillon said.
The bacteria only turned up in Sturgeon Lake samples and may not be the sole cause of the deaths, he said.
"We haven't nailed down exactly what's going on. That's priority number one," he said.
More fish were picked up for sampling from the south end of Pigeon Lake yesterday. While testing at the University of Guelph will continue, the ministry has also asked federal laboratories to help, to speed up the process.
Previous reports of fish dying in Pigeon Lake were unconfirmed until Monday when the ministry received reports of carp dying in the lake. "Obviously those are fish dying in Pigeon Lake," Taillon said. "They're not washing in from other areas."
Columnaris was considered responsible for the death of catfish, bass and some turtles along a 60-kilometre stretch of the Ottawa River west from Pembroke to Constance Bay last summer.
The bacteria can affect various types of fish, and once it does, it's difficult to address, he said
"It's tough to get a handle on. But I'd say the environmental impact in the water ecosystem is not that severe. Our Kawartha lakes are productive enough we think they will rebound," Taillon said.
Carp occupy their "own space" in the ecosystem, he said.
What is Columnaris?
Columnaris is caused by the bacterium flavobacterium columnare.
The disease occurs around the world in freshwater fish.
Many flavobacteria live in water and mud and can also live in the gill of a fish.
Epidemics are associated with some type of stress condition such as low oxygen, crowding, such as would occur during spawning, and warm water temperatures.
Onset of columnaris can be sudden and progress rapidly.
Bacteria enters the fish through the gills or broken skin.
Death can occur one to two days after infection.
At this point there is no practical way to control the spread of columnaris.
I hope it does not spread any further!
Printed from www.thepost.ca web site Monday, July 16, 2007 - ? 2007 The Lindsay Post
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bacteria may be responsible carp die-off in several Kawartha lakes
JEANNE PENGELLY
Friday, July 13, 2007 - 09:00
Local News - A bacteria may be responsible for killing thousands of carp in several Kawartha lakes, including Pigeon Lake, say Ministry of Natural Resources officials.
A report from the University of Guelph testing lab released yesterday states the bacteria flavobacterium columnare was found in some of the fish samples taken from Sturgeon Lake.
Ministry biologist Dan Taillon said scientists believe the bacteria will not affect humans.
The optimal temperature for its growth is about 22 C, he said.
"The human body is an inhospitable environment for flavobacterium columnare to grow," he said.
Bacteria that cause human health concerns usually need temperatures of more than 40 C, he said.
He warned people handling fish to wear gloves and wash afterward as a precaution.
Peterborough County-City Health Unit officials declined to comment yesterday until the health protection director could be contacted. There was no alert posted on the health unit's website last night and all city and county beaches except Hiawatha were shown as having acceptable water for swimming.
If one were to eat a fish with the bacteria, Taillon said normally cooking a fish kills any bacteria that could be present.
Yet there is one big unanswered question, Taillon said.
The bacteria only turned up in Sturgeon Lake samples and may not be the sole cause of the deaths, he said.
"We haven't nailed down exactly what's going on. That's priority number one," he said.
More fish were picked up for sampling from the south end of Pigeon Lake yesterday. While testing at the University of Guelph will continue, the ministry has also asked federal laboratories to help, to speed up the process.
Previous reports of fish dying in Pigeon Lake were unconfirmed until Monday when the ministry received reports of carp dying in the lake. "Obviously those are fish dying in Pigeon Lake," Taillon said. "They're not washing in from other areas."
Columnaris was considered responsible for the death of catfish, bass and some turtles along a 60-kilometre stretch of the Ottawa River west from Pembroke to Constance Bay last summer.
The bacteria can affect various types of fish, and once it does, it's difficult to address, he said
"It's tough to get a handle on. But I'd say the environmental impact in the water ecosystem is not that severe. Our Kawartha lakes are productive enough we think they will rebound," Taillon said.
Carp occupy their "own space" in the ecosystem, he said.
What is Columnaris?
Columnaris is caused by the bacterium flavobacterium columnare.
The disease occurs around the world in freshwater fish.
Many flavobacteria live in water and mud and can also live in the gill of a fish.
Epidemics are associated with some type of stress condition such as low oxygen, crowding, such as would occur during spawning, and warm water temperatures.
Onset of columnaris can be sudden and progress rapidly.
Bacteria enters the fish through the gills or broken skin.
Death can occur one to two days after infection.
At this point there is no practical way to control the spread of columnaris.