Does VHS threaten commercially caught fish like lake whitefish or chubs?
The Great Lakes strain of VHS was detected for the first time n lake whitefish from the Bay of Green Bay in May 2007. Currently, only a small percentage of fish are affected by the virus and it is too soon to tell what the effects will be on the lake whitefish population. The Pacific Northwest strain of VHS is distinct from the one found in the Great Lakes. Pacific herring in Prince William Sound, Alaska first experienced disease outbreaks due to VHS in 1989. Since then, the population of Pacific herring has decreased in size and the commercial fishery for herring has closed in those areas. Who bears the cost of testing for VHS? Costs of VHS testing, fish collection, sample preparation, the purchase of radio and TV public service announcements, signs at boat landings, and brochures are paid by revenues from fishing license sales. What are DNR researchers doing to locate infected waters and why can’t all waters be checked immediately? Based on what is known about disease distribution, t
