The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an emergency order halting the interstate transport of many species of gamefish in the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New York and PA until further notice. Best case senario of this being ammended or lifted probably won't be for at least 6 weeks -- maybe not until the Spring of 07. The problem is VHS (Viral Hemmorhagic Septicemia) has been found in some fish and areas of the Great Lakes, and this is supposed to contain the virus etc. (It's been known about for at least 2 years, but now we get a knee jerk reaction blanket policy disregarding if fish come from a closed system, or have been tested for this disease and found to be disease free.) What can I say that's the government for you. :rolleyes:

This could effect some of you that want fish to plant into your ponds in the future, as it could put some farms out of business, reduce their out of state supplies and/or could drive up prices of fish. Minnesota that is a big fathead minnow supplier will be hit hard, and those of us that ice fish may find it hard to get minnows for bait. Not sure if the southern bait suppliers will be allowed to bring in fatheads and shiners or not.

Here's a link to go to for more information: (You'll need PDF to access it.)

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/pdf/vhs-fed-order_ogc-changes.pdf

If you are in any of these states and you were going to get trout other than brook trout, this fall and winter you can forget about it. Same goes for walleye, bass, bluegill etc. etc.

Here are tehe species of fish covered:

(c) Regulated Species of Live Fish:

The following are regulated species of live fish:

Atlantic cod Gadus morhua

Black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus

Bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus

Brown bullhead Ictalurus nebulosus

Brown trout Salmo trutta

Burbot Lota lota

Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch

Chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta

Emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides

Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens

Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum

Grayling Thymallus thymallus

Haddock Gadus aeglefinus

Herring Clupea spp

Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy

Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus

Pike Esox lucius

Pink salmon Onchorhynchus gorbuscha

Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Redhorse sucker Moxostoma spp

Rock bass Ambloplites rupestris

Rockling Onos mustelus

Round goby Neogobius melanostomus

Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu

Sprat Sprattus spp

Turbot Scophthalmus maximus

Walleye Sander vitreus

White bass Morone chrysops

White perch Morone americana

Whitefish Coregonus spp

Yellow perch Perca flavescens



If other species are identified as VHS susceptible, the Administrator will amend this list of regulated species and will specify the regulated species of live fish on the APHIS Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/.

No effect on us here in MN from stocking perspective. We aren't allowed to import fish anyway. May affect some hatcheries that have been exporting out of MN however.

I believe you are only talking about minnows, not the other species and specifically anglers bringing in live minnows? According to the following statute minnows can be brought into the state under certain conditions.

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/97C/515.html

Other species can be brought in if the appropriate permits are obtained via the appropriate certified disease testing etc.

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/17/4985.html

But like I said all of this has come to a grinding halt. Your minnow bait industry which is quite big in Minnesota is going to take a big hit.

looks like it could be the opening the GSF were looking for.....since they arent on list, there could be a niche for GSF stockers, GSF bait, a whole new disease free GSF industry :rolleyes:

just kiddin

i hope you guys back east are not too adversely affected by this.

I just got the same letter.

Interesting that it includes BG , PS ,Rock Bass ,BC , LMB and SMB which are all the major types of Centrarchid fish but not RES , WC and GSF. I bet it does not take long to add all the remaining ones. Don't be surprised if they don't extend its geographic reach either.

This list of dangerous fish, enemies of the people one and all, will undoubtedly be expanded by minds more bureaucratic than ours.

I wonder if any special interest groups opposed to sportfishing, etc. are behind this, lobbying the USDA with their version of reality.

Cecil, you are correct that the minnow biz in MN will take the hit. Despite the statute that alows importing fish it never happens so no hit there. I've tried. The hoops required to certify disease free are impossible to jump through and I don't believe anyone has ever successfully done it. When I tried I worked with the only MN DNR fish pathologist he couldn't even decide what needed to be done in order to satisfy himself so he could issue a permit.

BZ,

I know what you're talking about. I jump through those hoops every year. However your state has a reputation of being gestapo-like on fish importation.

I can't complain as my state officials are strict but they are consistent. And although I don't always agree with their protocols they aren't bad eggs. They are allowing me to bring in brook trout in a few days because they are not on the restricted species list. They could have just said no. I did get an ominus warning though... make sure all my papers are in line as I may get stopped. Law enforcment has been told to be on the lookout for fish haulers. Wow an adventure behind enemy lines!

Bruce,

I have a question for you. Since you may still be on your wife's computer and not able to receive PM's or emails I'll ask it here.

You said you got a letter. Is it saying you can't transport any fish into the Great Lakes or that you can't get any fish from the Great Lakes? What are they telling you?

I think it's mostly fish found in the Great Lakes and their drainages which would explain the redears not being on the list. However my hunch is they just haven't tested all the species or haven't found this variant of VHS in those species yet.

Sure hope they don't find it in brook trout before I bring mine back on Saturday. I've got a go from my DNR cause they aren't on the list.

Effective 10-24-06, Federal Order has been issued by USDA APHIS under the Animal Health Protection Act to prevent the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia. Th eOrder prohibits all movement of live fish of these species from the prohibited areas.

Effective immediately, the importation of certain species of live fish into the United STates from the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec is prohibited. The Administrator may also designate other countries or portions thereof as prohibited areas under this order. Thereafter, the importation into the United States of any regulated species of live fish as specified from an area designated as a prohibited area will be subject to this Order.

The following states are designated as prohibited domestic areas: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

This sounds like an illicit opportunity for the Milk Truck Minnow-Leggers!

Theo, it's funny that you mention that. Early this morning, I saw a Jaegerwald Milk & Spice truck driving real slow by my house.

The driver kind of winked at me like he was saying "hey man, want some fatheads with your milk?" I don't think the poor guy realized that there hasn't been milk delivery in more than a decade. I bought (10) jugs of milk.

Leave it to the government to create policy that promotes cottage industry like Minnow-legging.

Just got back Saturday at 1 A.M. from a 15 hour drive back from the fish hatchery where I picked up 100 Canadian brook trout near Bayfield, WI. Man what a drive! Hopefully I can hatch my own in the future and preclude the long hauls.

No challenges from law enforcement but a friend in the aquaculture business says he's not suprised even if I had been spotted with a fish hauling tank. He says the states don't like to enforce federal laws. Kind of a rivalry with the states wanting the feds to mind their own business. I found that interesting.

One source tells me after meetings in D.C. today and tomorrow this thing may be dropped. Others I talk to say the it will last into at least spring. I'm hoping for good news after tomorrow! This thing is not backed by good science and smacks of politics. There really isn't a concern for our fisheries. If there was they would have done something about the ballast water coming into the Great Lakes a long time ago. That's where our exotic pathogens and animals are came from i.e. zebra mussels.

When is this supposed to go into effect? I just had fish delivered from Jones on Saturday. Just curious. Thanks