Whirling Disease UPDATE !

[McLeod]

Whirling disease affecting fish confirmed in 6 more locations near Banff National Park
Disease first detected in Johnson Lake on Aug. 23


Whirling disease which affects salmon and trout has been detected in six more locations near Banff National Park.

Deadly whirling disease in fish has spread from Banff to Bow River
Officials have confirmed the deadly whirling disease, which affects fish, has been found at six more locations in waterways near Banff National Park.

Posted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website on Monday, the six latest locations include:

Spray River upstream from the confluence of the Cascade River and Cascade Creek.
Cascade Creek upstream from the confluence of the Cascade River and Cascade Creek.
Carrot Creek upstream of the confluence of Cascade River and Cascade Creek.
Bow River near Tunnel Mountain.
Lower Cascade River upstream from the confluence of the Bow River and the Cascade River.
Bow River downstream from the confluence of the Bow River and Carrot Creek.
Whirling disease affects trout and salmon and can cause infected fish to swim in a whirling pattern and die prematurely.

It was first detected in Johnson Lake on Aug. 23.

Whirling disease in fish found in Banff lake a 1st in Canada, officials say
Deadly whirling disease in fish has spread from Banff to Bow River
A note on the CFIA website reads "Additional detections of whirling disease from the ongoing sampling and testing do not mean the disease is spreading. Whirling disease may have been present for several years and the ongoing sampling will help determine the extent of the distribution and the most appropriate disease response."

[Walleye20]

Does this kill the fish or does it just harm you if you consume it?

[fishinhogdaddy]

Good day Everyone.

Here is an article that explains this malady very well and the recovery of the fishery after.

http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/ar...ingdisease.htm

FHD

[Don Andersen]

Be very careful with the article. It talks of finding the disease 13 years ago. Counting from today, the discovery would have been in 2003. In fact, WD was discovered in 1991. Recovery in the Madison is ongoing not yet realizing the same population as prior to the disease.
Life with WD is not pretty.

Don

[Myles]

I hear you Don. But isn't it possible that WD has been in the Bow system for a while and it was only when they started testing they "discovered" it? Not trying to minimize anything. And understand we should be doing everything possible to stop its spread.

I always found it odd that this thing never appeared to come across the 49th parallel when our rivers are so similar to Montana where WD has existed for a long time. I guess we know now it probably has been here in for a while and now we have to learn to live with it.

[Don Andersen]

Myles,

The govt made a discussion to firmly stick it's collective head up it's asssss and not look.
Further, it allow or even encouraged travel by possible infected Angler's. All to benefit a tiny group who is not stuck with the consequences.

Kinda reminds me of how the Brits dealt with the Black Plauge 700 hundred hears ago. They quaratsened the offenders. Looks like history hasn't taught us anything thing.

Don

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Myles

I hear you Don. But isn't it possible that WD has been in the Bow system for a while and it was only when they started testing they "discovered" it? Not trying to minimize anything. And understand we should be doing everything possible to stop its spread.

I always found it odd that this thing never appeared to come across the 49th parallel when our rivers are so similar to Montana where WD has existed for a long time. I guess we know now it probably has been here in for a while and now we have to learn to live with it.

I am guessing it has been here for a while. Lots of US anglers visiting the Bow without any disinfecting. Likely also in the Elk.

[Sundancefisher]

New positive tests

Wish they would list areas with 100% negative tests.

2016-12-23 Commercial aquaculture facility – Licensed by the Government of Alberta

2016-12-16 Rocky View County – Bow River (upstream from Wildcat Island)

2016-12-16 Rocky View County – Bow River (downstream from Wildcat Island)

2016-12-16 Rocky View County – Bow River (downstream from the confluence of Jumping Pound Creek and the Bow River)

2016-12-16 Rocky View County – Bow River (downstream from Wildcat Island)

2016-12-16 Rocky View County – Bow River (downstream from Mitford)

[CraigJ]

I'm a newbie to fly fishing and slowing purchasing gear before the upcoming season. I was looking at boots and thinking that felt soles would be the way to go, but after reading this thread I'll be going with rubber. Don't want to risk transferring this or any other invasive species or diseases with my boots.

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by CraigJ

I'm a newbie to fly fishing and slowing purchasing gear before the upcoming season. I was looking at boots and thinking that felt soles would be the way to go, but after reading this thread I'll be going with rubber. Don't want to risk transferring this or any other invasive species or diseases with my boots.

You can use felt, just clean and dry them between trips.

[goldscud]

Rinse, then thoroughly dry your boots, waders and other fishing equipment. This is generally sufficient to kill the TAM stage of the parasite
Chlorine (regular household bleach) is a very effective disinfectant, and one of the few that can kill all stages of the parasite if used at the proper concentration. However, chlorine is a very strong chemical and can harm your equipment with prolonged exposure, so make sure you rinse the chlorine off your waders and other equipment after you disinfect, and dry in the shade.
To kill the TAM stage, use 1 part chlorine to 32 parts water. It must stay in contact for about 10 seconds to assure disinfection.
To kill the mature myxospore that may be found in the mud from an infected stream is much more difficult and hard on equipment.
50% solution (1 part chlorine to 1 part water) - dip waders into a solution of the bleach or wipe or spray on.
10% solution (1 part chlorine to 9 parts water) and soak your equipment for 10 minutes.
Quaternary ammonium compounds are also effective in killing both parasite stages. These disinfectants are commercially available for disinfecting fishing equipment (Bright Water™) or for the pet/veterinary trade (Roccal-D™, Parvosol™).
Equally effective is water heated to nearly boiling (200 degrees F) poured over your gear and allowed to cool.

[TroutBaus]

I believe that whirling has been in the southern alberta rivers for some time, however the colder more northern watersheds can kill it. Just something were all goimg to have to live with...
While on the subject does anyone in the forum have some go to patterns for tying baitfish/small trout infected with whirling? Something with an aggressive curve in the shank im thinking, may be a go to streamer in the bow/crow.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[Ronbill]

Originally Posted by TroutBaus

I believe that whirling has been in the southern alberta rivers for some time, however the colder more northern watersheds can kill it. Just something were all goimg to have to live with...

I agree with your statement that the parasite has been in our rivers for some time. Our long history with anglers migrating back and forth from Montana, Colorado and Wyoming and the fish hatchery/trade, it was inevitable that we would see the disease in Alberta one day.
I think the timing of the discovery of whirling disease in Alberta is tied to somewhat lower spring runoff events the past couple of years. Theory is that low runoff years allows more sediment to accumulate in streams and rivers providing increased habitat for the intermediate worm (Tubifex tubifex) host of the parasite (Myxobolus cerebralis). With more Tubifex worms in the river systems there is greater potential for propagation of the parasite and then greater chance of fish infection. High spring runoff water flows not only washes out the fine sediment, but also the worms and the parasite spores that could lie dormant till favorable summer water conditions return. With all of our late season snowfall hopefully we will have normal spring runoff sufficient to washout fine sediment and reduce the risk of fish infection in these high gradient headwaters.

[bergman]

Yep, we will just have to live with it, and with more closures and limit restrictions until populations can be assessed & improved. Just because its been detected doesn't necessarily mean it brand new to the province. It could have been present for years or potentially decades.

Only time will tell if we get population decline from WD (maybe it already happened) but we can expect SRD to tighten keep limits in affected rivers for the foreseeable future. I noticed the upper Bow (where I mainly fish) have gone from a trout limit of 2 last year to zero this year. Not that I kept them anyways, but I am sure it is b/c of WD. I just hope they don't have to close it altogether.