According to a recent press release issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, sampling done at Cayuga Lake last month confirmed the presence of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), which has been linked to a fish kill involving thousands of round gobies in the lake.
Cayuga has hosted two Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments in recent years.
VHS can cause hemorrhaging of fish tissue, including internal organs, and can cause the death of infected fish. It does not pose any threat to human health.
The release stated that Cornell University confirmed VHS was present in fish samples collected by DEC on May 12. VHS is a deadly and persistent virus of fresh and saltwater fish that has been detected in the Great Lakes and connected waters since 2003. It was first documented in New York in 2006. VHS has not been linked to a fish kill in the Finger Lakes in almost a decade and this is the first discovery of the presence of the virus in Cayuga Lake.
VHS is currently responsible for an ongoing fish kill in Lake St. Clair in Michigan and western Lake Erie.
"Anglers play a key role in preventing the spread of VHS," said DEC commissioner Basil Seggos. "We encourage anglers to vigilantly follow the regulations prohibiting the movement of baitfish and other fish between waters to protect New York's high quality fishing."
Conditions have been optimal for the virus this spring as it replicates prominently in water temperatures between 50 and 58 degrees. Mortalities usually continue until the water warms above that range. VHS can be spread through a variety of means, including the moving of potentially infected fish from one waterbody to another. This can be done by stocking or the use of bait fish.
To help prevent the spread of VHS, anglers and boaters should:
> follow baitfish regulations developed to prevent the spread of harmful fish diseases;
> only release baitfish into the waterbody it was taken from;
> not discard unused bait purchased commercially into any body of water;
> not move fish from one water body to another;
> not dispose of fish carcasses or by-products in any body of water; and
> Inspect, Drain and Dry and Disinfect boats and gear before moving to another water.
