[Date Prev][Date Next][Date Index]
GLIN==> NYSDEC ADOPTS EMERGENCY REGULATION TO HELP PREVENT SPREAD OF VHS TO ADDITIONAL NEW YORK STATE WATERS
For Release: IMMEDIATE
Contact: Maureen Wren
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
(518) 402-8000
DEC ADOPTS EMERGENCY REGULATION TO HELP PREVENT SPREAD OF VHS TO
ADDITIONAL NEW YORK STATE WATERS
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) announced today the filing of an emergency regulation to help
prevent the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) virus to
additional waters in the State. The regulation, which takes effect
immediately, limits the release, possession, and taking of certain bait
and other live fish species. VHS is a pathogen of fish and does not pose
any threat to public health.
VHS was first confirmed in New York waters in May 2006 in Lake
Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, and has now also been confirmed in
several fish species in Great Lakes basin waters in New York State and
other states. Once a fish is infected with VHS, there is no known cure.
Because of the fatal virus's ability to spread, and potential impact on
fisheries, recreation, and the economy, the World Organization of Animal
Health has categorized VHS as a transmissible disease with the potential
for profound socio-economic consequences.
VHS can be spread from water body to water body through a variety of
means, not all of them known at this point. One known mechanism is
through the movement of fish, including bait fish. DEC, in cooperation
with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, is
sampling waters across the State, including all waters used as sources
of brood stock for DEC hatchery activities, to help determine how far
the disease has spread in New York.
A Federal Order was issued on October 24, 2006, by the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) in an effort to prevent the spread of
VHS to other waters and to protect economically important sport
fisheries and aquaculture. The Federal Order prohibits the importation
of certain species of live fish from Ontario and Quebec and the
interstate movement of the same fish species from eight states bordering
the Great Lakes. The Federal Order was amended on November 14, 2006 to
allow interstate movement of fish species provided the fish have been
tested and certified free of VHS based on testing procedures implemented
on the state level. Information on the Federal Order can be found on
the APHIS website at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/ .
The Federal Order does not address the movement of fish within
New York State. In-state movement of fish for use as bait or for
stocking could spread VHS in New York and cause significant adverse
impacts to the State's fish resources. Therefore, in order to protect
New York's valuable fishery resources, DEC has adopted emergency
regulations to:
Prohibit the commercial collection of bait fish from waters of
the State where VHS has been detected. The rule amends State regulations
by removing certain waters impacted by VHS from the list of specially
designated waters that allow bait fish to be taken for commercial
purposes. A list of waters being removed is attached;
Limit the personal possession and use of bait fish. The rule
limits the number of bait fish that may be possessed to a total of 100,
as well as restricts the use of bait fish for personal use to the
specific water from which it was collected. This rule does not pertain
to the possession of bait fish in the Marine District; and
Require live fish destined for release into the waters of the
State to be inspected by certified professionals and be certified to be
free of VHS and other serious fish diseases. The rule prohibits the
placement of live fish into the waters of the State (including
possessing, importing and transporting live fish for purposes of placing
them into the waters of the State) unless accompanied by a fish health
inspection report issued within the previous 12 months. For all species
of freshwater fish, a fish health inspection report shall certify that
the fish are free of VHS, Furunculosis, Enteric Red Mouth, Infectious
Pancreatic Necrosis Virus, Spring Viremia of Carp Virus, and
Heterosporis. For salmon and trout, the fish health reports must also
certify that the fish are free of Whirling Disease, Bacterial Kidney
Disease, and Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHN). The fish
health reports must be issued by an independent, qualified inspector, as
well as conform with specific testing methods and procedures.
The emergency regulations became effective today - November 21,
2006. Text of the regulation is available at
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/propregs/ on the DEC
website. Hard copies of the rulemaking can also be requested from DEC by
writing to: Shaun Keeler, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4750;
or by calling DEC at (518) 402-8920.
While the emergency measure is in place, DEC will proceed with
proposing these amendments as a permanent rulemaking. Publication in
the State Register on December 6, 2006, will initiate a 45-day public
comment period, concluding on January 22, 2006. During this time, the
public may email comments by accessing
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/propregs/ on the DEC
website. Comments can also be mailed to Shaun Keeler, NYS DEC, 625
Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4750 .
List of waters where commercial bait fish harvest is no longer allowed
due to VHS:
Cayuga County
Fair Haven Bay (Little Sodus Bay)
Lake Ontario
Sterling Valley Creek (from road bridge on Route 104 to Lake
Ontario)
Chautauqua County
Canadaway Creek (from mouth to Route 5)
Cattaraugus Creek
Jefferson County
Beaver Meadow Creek
Bedford Creek
Chaumont River
Cranberry Creek
Crooked Creek
Flat Rock Creek
Fox Creek
French Creek and tributaries, excepting lower three miles of
French Creek
Guffins Creek
Horse Creek
Lake Ontario
Little Stony Creek and tributaries, all above the first road crossing
(not including Six Town Pond)
Mill Creek and tributaries, from first road crossing to Stowell
Corners
Mud Creek
Mullet Creek and tributaries (Mullet Creek upstream from Route
12)
Muskalonge Creek
North Sand Creek (from the highway bridge in Woodville upstream to the
Ellisburg-Adams town line)
Otter Creek and tributaries
Perch River
St. Lawrence River
Skinner Creek and tributaries (downstream from the Lum Road, also
called McDonald Hill Road, located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of
Mannsville)
South Sandy Creek (from bridge at Ellisburg)
Livingston County.
Conesus Lake
Monroe County
Braddocks Bay
Buck Pond
Cranberry Pond
Irondequoit Bay
Lake Ontario
Long Pond
Round Pond
Salmon Creek (north of Ridge Road)
Niagara County
Barge Canal (west of Lock E35 )
Lake Ontario
Niagara River including the Little Rivers
Tonawanda Creek/Erie Barge Canal (from Niagara River east to junction
with Barge Canal near Pendleton)
East Branch Twelve Mile Creek (from mouth to Route 18)
Orleans County.
Johnson Creek (from Kuckville to Lake Ontario)
Lake Ontario
Oak Orchard Creek (from Waterport to Lake Ontario)
Oswego County
Blind Creek and tributaries west of Route 11
Catfish Creek (north of the hamlet of New Haven)
Eight Mile Creek (north of Route 104A)
Lake Ontario
Lindsey Creek to Jefferson county line
first tributary of Lindsey Creek, lower one-half mile
Little Sandy Creek west of Route 11
Nine Mile Creek north of Route 104A
Oswego Canal
Rice or Three Mile Creek north of Fruit Valley
Salmon River from Pulaski to Lake Ontario
Skinner Creek
North Sandy Pond
St. Lawrence County
Big Sucker Creek, Towns of Lisbon, Waddington
Black Creek, Town of Hammond
Brandy Brook, Towns of Waddington and Madrid
Chippewa Bay
Chippewa Creek, Town of Hammond
Lisbon Creek, Towns of Oswegatchie and Lisbon
Little Sucker Brook, Town of Waddington
Oswegatchie River (downstream of the dam in Ogdensburg)
St. Lawrence River
St. Regis River, from Helena to the St. Lawrence River, Town of
Brasher
Sucker Creek, Town of Oswegatchie
Tibbits Creek, Town of Oswegatchie
Wayne County
Bear Creek
Black Brook
Blind Sodus Bay
Blind Sodus Creek
East Bay
First Creek
Lake Ontario
Port Bay
Salmon Creek
Second Creek (below falls at Red Mill)
Sodus Bay
Swales Creek
Wolcott Creek
###
Don Zelazny
Great Lakes Programs Coordinator
NYS DEC
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
glin-announce is hosted by the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN):
http://www.great-lakes.net
To subscribe: http://www.glin.net/forms/glin-announce_form.html
To post a message: http://www.glin.net/forms/glin-announce_post.html
To search the archive: http://www.glin.net/lists/glin-announce/
All views and opinions presented above are solely those of the author or
attributed source and do not necessarily reflect those of GLIN or its
management.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *