U.S. Catfish Industry Braces As Great Lakes Virus Spreads
Posted in Food Safety, Safety, OutdoorsNews came out this week from a high ranking U.S. Agriculture Department official that a deadly virus responsible for killing close to 50,000 fish swimming in the Great Lakes now poses a threat to other the entire U.S. aquaculture system.
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) causes fish to begin bleeding internally and eventually die. Although not harmful in any way to people that may come into contact with fish infected with VHS, measures were taken late last year to try and limit the movements of fish caught in areas surrounding the Great Lakes.
The source of the disease is not yet known, but some scientists are saying ocean bound ships located in the lakes may have an effect due to their bilge water being released. So far only lakes Huron, Ontario, and Erie have tested positive for VHS however since the lakes are connected to the Mississippi river it seems only a matter of time before cases are discovered as far south as Louisiana.
The catfish industry is estimated to be worth $425 million representing 46% of total aquaculture production in the U.S. The state of Mississippi stands the most to loose if the disease were to spread south with the potential of several billions of dollars in jobs and general economic activities being affected. 94% of all catfish production in the U.S. is located in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alabama.
John Dettmers a senior fishery biologist at the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in Michigan told reporters this,” We’re not quite sure just how deadly to fish it’s going to be yet. There are 37 susceptible species so far that we are aware of.” Jill Roland an assistant director at the U.S Department of Agriculture told the New York Times “We really don’t know how it got there. People’s awareness of V.H.S. in the lakes was unknown until 2005. But archived samples showed the virus was there as early as 2003.”
While a cure has yet to be discovered hopes are for now that it will simple fade away as fish in the Great Lakes become immune to it. Dr. Paul Bowser a professor of aquatic medicine agrees saying “This is a new pathogen and for the first number of years — 4, 5 or 10 years — things are going to be pretty rough, then the animals will become more immune and resistant and the mortalities will decline.”
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