Vermont Baitfish Regulations - VHS
VERMONT AGENCY OF
NATURAL RESOURCES PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 23, 2008
Media Contacts: Shawn Good, 802-786-3863, Tom Jones, 802-241-3708
Vermont Baitfish
Regulation to Help Stop
Spread of Fish Virus is Revised
WATERBURY, VT - Vermont's "emergency" baitfish regulation that went into
effect last October has been replaced by a permanent regulation that
takes into account many of the concerns of anglers and yet still helps
protect Vermont fisheries from a deadly new fish virus called Viral
Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS).
Shawn Good, the Fish & Wildlife Department fisheries biologist heading
their Aquatic Nuisance Species Team, says the regulation is necessary to
help prevent Vermont's waters and fish from becoming infected with VHS,
which could result in devastating fish kills.
Biologists think a mutated form of the ocean strain of VHS arrived in
the Great Lakes soon after 2000, but was not detected until 2005 when it
killed tens of thousands of fish in Lake Ontario. Since then it has
rapidly spread throughout the Great Lakes and to some inland waters of
several Great Lakes states, killing hundreds of thousands of fish.
Fisheries managers in the affected Great Lakes states and Ontario have
all imposed similar regulations on baitfish use in order to slow down or
prevent the virus from spreading to new waters.
"Following the passing of the emergency baitfish rule in late 2007,"
said Good, "the Fish & Wildlife Department and Fish & Wildlife Board
held six public hearings around the state to gather comments and input
for the permanent regulation. Our intent was to develop and pass a
final regulation that addressed the biological risks associated with the
movement of baitfish, in terms of disease spread, but at the same time
minimize the burden the original emergency regulation put on anglers."
Many anglers and baitfish dealers at the meetings said they wanted to
help protect Vermont fisheries from VHS, but many also felt the
emergency regulation presented too many hardships.
"I think the public process that was followed worked exactly as it is
supposed to," said Good. "The input we received from anglers and
baitfish dealers at the public hearings and through phone calls and
emails helped us all better understand how we can work together on this
challenge. I believe we now have a regulation most people can accept
while knowing it is very important for us to be proactive in our
approach to protecting Vermont's fisheries from this deadly fish virus."
The key areas of concern raised by Vermont's angling public were
carefully considered by the department and members of the Fish &
Wildlife Board, and many were incorporated into the final baitfish
regulation.
"We now have a biologically sound and enforceable regulation that will
help protect Vermont's fish and fisheries from the risk presented by
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia," said Good.
Highlights of the revisions made to the permanent baitfish rule include:
1. Personal harvest of baitfish is allowed, provided baitfish are
used on the same waterbody where they were captured.
2. The term "waterbody" is defined to include all tributaries of
lakes and ponds up to the first barrier impassable by fish. For rivers
and streams it includes all tributaries to that river or stream up to
the first barrier impassable by fish. This will allow anglers to freely
move up and down connecting streams and rivers to fish with live bait,
provided they don't pass a barrier (dam or waterfall for example).
3. Anglers are allowed to store baitfish on waterbodies for an
indefinite period of time.
4. Anglers have 96 hours to transport commercially purchased
baitfish to the waterbody designated on their receipt. Once baitfish
are on the waterbody, there is no time limitation for use.
5. Baitfish cannot be transported away from waters of the state by
motorized vehicle.
6. "Commercial bait dealer" designations are now "statewide" or
"waterbody-specific."
7. Statewide bait dealers will be restricted to selling only
disease-free hatchery baitfish.
8. Waterbody-specific bait dealers must be located on a specific
waterbody, and may harvest wild baitfish from that waterbody for sale
and use only on that waterbody.
9. Anglers fishing border waters (Champlain and Connecticut River)
may buy and use baitfish from NY or NH baitshops that are certified by
the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department for use only on those respective
border waters.
10. Personal and commercial harvest of baitfish will be prohibited on
any waterbody the department lists as "closed to baitfish harvest,"
primarily for fish disease and pathogen reasons. The department will
maintain and make available a list of such waters.
11. Commercially prepared and preserved baitfish and fish eggs may be
used and transported by anglers, provided they are retained in the
original packaging at all times.
"It is the responsibility of the Fish & Wildlife Department and the Fish
& Wildlife Board to respond to the dangers this impending disease poses
to fisheries and fishing in Vermont," stressed Good. "Fish disease
experts in the Great Lakes have said VHS may be the worst fish disease
anglers will have to deal with in our lifetime. No other fish disease
currently known can infect this many species and spread this fast. We
had to respond appropriately to protect Vermont's valuable fisheries."
Good said the rapid spread of aquatic nuisance species and new fish
diseases is a sign of the times and an unfortunate reality fisheries
biologists and anglers are forced to deal with.
Although the VHS virus has not yet reached Vermont waters, it is
widespread in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and in several of
the Finger Lakes. Good says it is almost a certainty VHS will reach
Vermont in the near future.
"We have the benefit of learning about the fish kills in the Great Lakes
from a distance," added Good. "We must be proactive in protecting the
fisheries in our lakes and ponds. If we are diligent and have good
angler understanding and cooperation, then we believe we can keep
Vermont's fish populations healthy and maintain the fishing we enjoy.
If the virus does get into a Vermont waterbody, this regulation will
already be in place to reduce the potential that anglers may
inadvertently spread it to new waters."
For more detailed information on the VHS fish disease and how to help
prevent the introduction and spread of VHS, visit
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/vhs.cfm .
To see the permanent regulation, go the Fish & Wildlife website
(www.vtfishandwildlife.com <</span> http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/ > ), click
on Law Enforcement and then on Rules and Proposed Rules. If you have
questions, please contact Shawn Good, 802-786-3863 or Tom Jones,
802-241-3708, at Fish & Wildlife.
For Immediate Release: April 23, 2008
Media Contacts: Shawn Good, 802-786-3863, Tom Jones, 802-241-3708
Spread of Fish Virus is Revised
WATERBURY, VT - Vermont's "emergency" baitfish regulation that went into
effect last October has been replaced by a permanent regulation that
takes into account many of the concerns of anglers and yet still helps
protect Vermont fisheries from a deadly new fish virus called Viral
Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS).
Shawn Good, the Fish & Wildlife Department fisheries biologist heading
their Aquatic Nuisance Species Team, says the regulation is necessary to
help prevent Vermont's waters and fish from becoming infected with VHS,
which could result in devastating fish kills.
Biologists think a mutated form of the ocean strain of VHS arrived in
the Great Lakes soon after 2000, but was not detected until 2005 when it
killed tens of thousands of fish in Lake Ontario. Since then it has
rapidly spread throughout the Great Lakes and to some inland waters of
several Great Lakes states, killing hundreds of thousands of fish.
Fisheries managers in the affected Great Lakes states and Ontario have
all imposed similar regulations on baitfish use in order to slow down or
prevent the virus from spreading to new waters.
"Following the passing of the emergency baitfish rule in late 2007,"
said Good, "the Fish & Wildlife Department and Fish & Wildlife Board
held six public hearings around the state to gather comments and input
for the permanent regulation. Our intent was to develop and pass a
final regulation that addressed the biological risks associated with the
movement of baitfish, in terms of disease spread, but at the same time
minimize the burden the original emergency regulation put on anglers."
Many anglers and baitfish dealers at the meetings said they wanted to
help protect Vermont fisheries from VHS, but many also felt the
emergency regulation presented too many hardships.
"I think the public process that was followed worked exactly as it is
supposed to," said Good. "The input we received from anglers and
baitfish dealers at the public hearings and through phone calls and
emails helped us all better understand how we can work together on this
challenge. I believe we now have a regulation most people can accept
while knowing it is very important for us to be proactive in our
approach to protecting Vermont's fisheries from this deadly fish virus."
The key areas of concern raised by Vermont's angling public were
carefully considered by the department and members of the Fish &
Wildlife Board, and many were incorporated into the final baitfish
regulation.
"We now have a biologically sound and enforceable regulation that will
help protect Vermont's fish and fisheries from the risk presented by
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia," said Good.
Highlights of the revisions made to the permanent baitfish rule include:
1. Personal harvest of baitfish is allowed, provided baitfish are
used on the same waterbody where they were captured.
2. The term "waterbody" is defined to include all tributaries of
lakes and ponds up to the first barrier impassable by fish. For rivers
and streams it includes all tributaries to that river or stream up to
the first barrier impassable by fish. This will allow anglers to freely
move up and down connecting streams and rivers to fish with live bait,
provided they don't pass a barrier (dam or waterfall for example).
3. Anglers are allowed to store baitfish on waterbodies for an
indefinite period of time.
4. Anglers have 96 hours to transport commercially purchased
baitfish to the waterbody designated on their receipt. Once baitfish
are on the waterbody, there is no time limitation for use.
5. Baitfish cannot be transported away from waters of the state by
motorized vehicle.
6. "Commercial bait dealer" designations are now "statewide" or
"waterbody-specific."
7. Statewide bait dealers will be restricted to selling only
disease-free hatchery baitfish.
8. Waterbody-specific bait dealers must be located on a specific
waterbody, and may harvest wild baitfish from that waterbody for sale
and use only on that waterbody.
9. Anglers fishing border waters (Champlain and Connecticut River)
may buy and use baitfish from NY or NH baitshops that are certified by
the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department for use only on those respective
border waters.
10. Personal and commercial harvest of baitfish will be prohibited on
any waterbody the department lists as "closed to baitfish harvest,"
primarily for fish disease and pathogen reasons. The department will
maintain and make available a list of such waters.
11. Commercially prepared and preserved baitfish and fish eggs may be
used and transported by anglers, provided they are retained in the
original packaging at all times.
"It is the responsibility of the Fish & Wildlife Department and the Fish
& Wildlife Board to respond to the dangers this impending disease poses
to fisheries and fishing in Vermont," stressed Good. "Fish disease
experts in the Great Lakes have said VHS may be the worst fish disease
anglers will have to deal with in our lifetime. No other fish disease
currently known can infect this many species and spread this fast. We
had to respond appropriately to protect Vermont's valuable fisheries."
Good said the rapid spread of aquatic nuisance species and new fish
diseases is a sign of the times and an unfortunate reality fisheries
biologists and anglers are forced to deal with.
Although the VHS virus has not yet reached Vermont waters, it is
widespread in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and in several of
the Finger Lakes. Good says it is almost a certainty VHS will reach
Vermont in the near future.
"We have the benefit of learning about the fish kills in the Great Lakes
from a distance," added Good. "We must be proactive in protecting the
fisheries in our lakes and ponds. If we are diligent and have good
angler understanding and cooperation, then we believe we can keep
Vermont's fish populations healthy and maintain the fishing we enjoy.
If the virus does get into a Vermont waterbody, this regulation will
already be in place to reduce the potential that anglers may
inadvertently spread it to new waters."
For more detailed information on the VHS fish disease and how to help
prevent the introduction and spread of VHS, visit
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/vhs.cfm .
To see the permanent regulation, go the Fish & Wildlife website
(www.vtfishandwildlife.com <</span> http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/ > ), click
on Law Enforcement and then on Rules and Proposed Rules. If you have
questions, please contact Shawn Good, 802-786-3863 or Tom Jones,
802-241-3708, at Fish & Wildlife.