orth Saskatchewan River watershed infected with whirling disease

[McLeod]

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has declared the North Saskatchewan River watershed infected with whirling disease.

The alert covers all streams, creeks, lakes and rivers that feed into the North Saskatchewan River and ends at the Saskatchewan border, the Alberta government said in a news release Friday.

The CFIA already said the Bow, Oldman and Red Deer River watersheds were infected.

Areas in Alberta outside the Bow, Oldman, Red Deer and North Saskatchewan River watersheds were previously designated as “buffer areas” and are not affected by the CFIA declaration.

In Alberta, rainbow, westslope cutthroat and brook trout, as well as mountain whitefish, are most susceptible to the disease.

Whirling disease doesn’t harm people or other mammals, but can have a significant effect on salmonoids—salmon, trout, char and whitefish.

It’s caused by a microscopic parasite that penetrates the head and spine and eventually causes the fish to swim erratically — or whirl. That leads to difficulty feeding and avoiding predators.

Over the past year, the province has ramped up its response to whirling disease, the government said.

It has a three-point action plan, which includes a whirling disease laboratory in Vegreville with staff to handle education and mitigation efforts.


The government is also working with researchers at the University of Alberta to develop non-lethal testing methods for the parasite.

[TimeOff]

Boats probably propagated it as the red deer, old man and bow have lots of float fishing. Jet boats probably brought it to the NSR. Most likely already in the Athabasca and Peace, as well as any other Jet boat destinations in Alberta. It's sad as I like to take my own Jet on the northern rivers and the NSR. Will try to figure out a way to flush my outboard and sump with disinfectant before I venture to other rivers from the NSR I guess…

[Weedy1]

Here's a link to the posted article:

https://globalnews.ca/news/4074015/n...-disease-fish/

[Teamprotz]

How can it possibly end at the Saskatchewan border ?

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by Teamprotz

How can it possibly end at the Saskatchewan border ?

Whirling disease / NDP, maybe there's a correlation?

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Teamprotz

How can it possibly end at the Saskatchewan border ?

Probably because of lack of affected species. I believe it only affects the trout and rmw, both of which barely come as far as Edmonton let alone saskatchewan.

It is pretty obvious these rivers have been infected for a while, the disease wouldnt have spread across and through this many watersheds in only a years time.

[stinkynuts]

My biggest Concern is how do i keep my boat flushed and disinfected anyone got any good tips on this I fish the NSR and a bunch of lakes i would hate transport this to a lake and have it wipe out a lake i know they say it doesn't affect non trout type fish but you never know it could start too

[Brandonkop]

Sweet now they can restock hermitage again!

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

[cube]

Originally Posted by RavYak

Probably because of lack of affected species. I believe it only affects the trout and rmw, both of which barely come as far as Edmonton let alone saskatchewan.

It is pretty obvious these rivers have been infected for a while, the disease wouldnt have spread across and through this many watersheds in only a years time.

Pretty sure the NSR in Saskatchewan has Lakewhite fish that would be susceptible. So no it will not likely stop at the Ab/Sask boarder.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by cube

Pretty sure the NSR in Saskatchewan has Lakewhite fish that would be susceptible. So no it will not likely stop at the Ab/Sask boarder.

Pretty sure there is a huge gap between where trout stop and lake whitefish start. Where’s the lake whites? Codette? Tobin?

[cube]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Pretty sure there is a huge gap between where trout stop and lake whitefish start. Where’s the lake whites? Codette? Tobin?

Where do you think the Whitefish from Codette and Tobin came from?

Acording to the "Fisheries Management Objectives for the North Saskatchewan River"
October 7, 2008
Alberta
http://www.nswa.ab.ca/sites/default/...inal%20_1_.pdf
There are whitefish in the NSR.

If you look http://aep.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/...whitefish.aspx
you will see whitefish are known to make long runs during the cold water periods.
"◾A large spawning migration enters the Athabasca Delta in late summer, moving upstream in the Athabasca River. The longest single movement of a tagged whitefish ever recorded was 388 kilometres (240 miles), from Fort McMurray to the north shore of Lake Athabasca. "

So I do think it quite possible that Mountain whitefish and Lake Whitefish territories could over lap especially durning the cold water periods.

[dodgeboy1979]

i've caught rocky mountain whites just east of lloydminster in the spring