DNR faces many issues regarding state’s fish

Jeff Broddle | Cadillac News Jim Anderson, manager of SchaferŐs Sports, scoops some sucker minnows. Fishermen possessing such minnows must carry documentation, provided by the bait shop, that they are free of VHS.

VHS and Asian Carp and certified live bait are all signs of the time.

If you ask Tom Rozich, DNR fisheries biologist, these are the “soup de jour” in 2007 for fisheries management.

“There are always issues in fish management and these are the soup de jour of 07, if you will,” he said.

VHS is viral hemorrhagic septicemia is a disease that has caused large-scale mortalities in rainbow trout and fish farms in Europe and in Pacific herring and pilchard populations along the Pacific coast.

Because the virus has been found in Michigan waters, the state Department of Natural Resources placed a one-year moratorium on walleye, northern pike and muskellunge production and stocking.

On June 28, a series of fishing regulations designed to slow the spread of fish diseases, such as Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, went into effect. Like a prescription for an aliment, Fisheries Order — 245 is designed to stop and/or slow the spread of disease.

Despite the recent large scale kill off at Budd Lake in Clare County, Rozich said there is hope in the fight against VHS.

“The good news is when (VHS) gets into a population it kills the susceptible ones. Some have natural immunity and the hope is when they spawn they will pass that immunity off to their offspring,” he said.

Jim Anderson knew the Department of Natural Resources had to do something about the breakout of the devastating disease.

As manager of Schafer’s Bait and Sporting Goods in Cadillac, Anderson had heard about VHS but when the FO-245 was released it had an impact on what types of baits he was allowed to sell.

“I realize they have to do something. I’m not quite sure this is the answer but if it helps that is good,” he said. “The only thing that has really affected us is the fact that the two different bait wholesalers we use have not really had shiner type minnows. The only type of minnows we have that are on the list are the sucker minnows.”

Although only time will tell if FO-245 worked against the spread of VHS, Rozich said there are other things the DNR is looking at as well.

Rozich said invasive species such as the Asian Carp could have a significant impact on the fisheries of the state if they enter the Great Lakes.

“We are concerned about them coming into Lake Michigan through Chicago Ship Canal. What they do is out-compete natural species,” he said. “If they get into Lake Michigan they will most likely out compete other fish for plankton.”

Rozich said the best way to stop the carp is to fill in the Chicago Ship Canal.

“The core of engineers has built electrical barriers into the Chicago Ship Canal, but what we really need to do is undo what man did by filling in the canal,” he said.

VHS and invasive species such as zebra mussels have been introduced to the Great Lakes via ballast water. Rozich said there are 30 invasives that were introduced by ballast water from ocean vessels.

He also said that there are easy fixes to the problem ballast water presents, which include disinfecting ballast water as well as using other forms of hauling.

“All of these are gifts of ballast water,” he said.

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