What we can't see can still hurt Great Lakes

[GLF]

Fish populations at risk to invisible pathogens

Everyone who cares about the Great Lakes is aware of the problems caused by visible exotic species like sea lampreys, alewives and zebra mussels. Even the tiny spiny water fleas become all too obvious when they ball up on fishing lines.

What scares me more are things we can't see, pathogens that could decimate fish populations and which we are helpless to do much about. We saw that threat this spring when an outbreak of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) killed huge numbers of freshwater drum (sheepshead) and yellow perch in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie, and may have been responsible for killing thousands of muskellunge in Lake St. Clair.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060713/SPORTS10/607130386/1066/SPORTS

[Lead_Lover]

that vhs is always there and has been, however the fish have to be very stressed from something else i.e. quick temp changes, turbidity etc. It something to watch but not to get too worked up about.