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- The Conservative part of Ontario
Test results from dead carp could take three weeks
Infection could be killing fish: ministry
Jason Bain
Local News - Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Updated @ 12:39:25 PM
LAKE SCUGOG - Test results expected back in early July should shed light on why hordes of Lake Scugog carp are showing up dead.
The unusual amount of floating fish has many puzzled.
"We're not sure of what has caused it yet," Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources information officer J.J. Beechie said Tuesday.
The Peterborough District MNR office and local media have been getting several phone calls as area residents and lake users discover the red-tinged fish carcasses.
Cultures of fish tissue have already collected by MNR staff and test results on them are expected back from Guelph University in about three weeks, he said.
That's when officials could find out if the cause is some kind of infection, which Beechie said they are "leaning towards" at this point.
With spawning season having just wrapped up, the fish could be more vulnerable to some sort of infection, he said.
Their depleted energy levels could speed transmission of disease or parasites.
Although the bulk of the dead fish have been showing up in the Port Perry area, they are being discovered all around the lake, he said, adding the situation is unique to Lake Scugog when it comes to the Kawartha Lakes.
Carp seem to be the only species in the lake affected, Beechie noted.
Winter and summer fish kill is "fairly common," particularly because of low oxygen levels and fluctuating temperatures, but with a fish like carp that is normally very tolerant of such conditions, he said "this (kill) is different."
The large kill has the local health unit urging residents not to swim in areas where there is dead fish because of the high levels of bacteria from its decomposition.
The situation will not affect drinking water in Lindsay, where the municipal system draws from the Scugog River, said Richard Ovcharovich, supervisor of environmental health for the Haliburton-Kawartha-Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
The health unit too is waiting to see the results of sampling by Ontario ministries.
Such systems are well equipped to deal with organic and inorganic contamination, he said.
Kawartha Conservation, also inundated with phone calls, issued a release Wednesday supporting the same.
“As environmental managers for our water resources, we are concerned about the large numbers of carp that are dying, but we do not anticipate that it will have an impact on water quality," said CAO Ian Macnab.
Those who draw their water directly from the lake, however, are "always open to contamination," Ovcharovich said.
However, those who draw surface water should have filtration and disinfection systems in place that should stop any potential problems.
"That should be able to take care of the bacterial load," he said.
Conservation authority aquatic biologist Heather Surrette noted that typically, diseases and parasites that would affect fish are not transferable to humans.
"But without knowing what it is, you can't be certain of what we are dealing with," she said.
The situation has the MNR advising the public that it is landowners responsibility to dispose of dead fish, not theirs.
And doing that requires some precautions, Beechie said.
Like anytime one deals with dead wildlife, rubber gloves should be worn to handle the fish, which should then both be disposed of in a plastic bag.
Those destined for the landfill should be double-bagged to prevent any problems for garbage collection staff, he said.
The carcasses can also be buried on shore, provided it is deep enough in the ground they won't be dug up by any animals, Beechie said.
Tools used to move the fish should also be disinfected afterwards and obviously, the fish should not be eaten, he said.
Concerns about dead fish on public beaches should be forwarded to the appropriate landowner, Beechie said, such as the municipality, conservation authority, or health unit.
On Wednesday, the City of Kawartha Lakes announced that all of its municipal landfills would receive carp carcasses at no charge, provided they are double-bagged.jbain@thepost.ca
Infection could be killing fish: ministry
Jason Bain
Local News - Tuesday, June 12, 2007 Updated @ 12:39:25 PM
LAKE SCUGOG - Test results expected back in early July should shed light on why hordes of Lake Scugog carp are showing up dead.
The unusual amount of floating fish has many puzzled.
"We're not sure of what has caused it yet," Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources information officer J.J. Beechie said Tuesday.
The Peterborough District MNR office and local media have been getting several phone calls as area residents and lake users discover the red-tinged fish carcasses.
Cultures of fish tissue have already collected by MNR staff and test results on them are expected back from Guelph University in about three weeks, he said.
That's when officials could find out if the cause is some kind of infection, which Beechie said they are "leaning towards" at this point.
With spawning season having just wrapped up, the fish could be more vulnerable to some sort of infection, he said.
Their depleted energy levels could speed transmission of disease or parasites.
Although the bulk of the dead fish have been showing up in the Port Perry area, they are being discovered all around the lake, he said, adding the situation is unique to Lake Scugog when it comes to the Kawartha Lakes.
Carp seem to be the only species in the lake affected, Beechie noted.
Winter and summer fish kill is "fairly common," particularly because of low oxygen levels and fluctuating temperatures, but with a fish like carp that is normally very tolerant of such conditions, he said "this (kill) is different."
The large kill has the local health unit urging residents not to swim in areas where there is dead fish because of the high levels of bacteria from its decomposition.
The situation will not affect drinking water in Lindsay, where the municipal system draws from the Scugog River, said Richard Ovcharovich, supervisor of environmental health for the Haliburton-Kawartha-Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
The health unit too is waiting to see the results of sampling by Ontario ministries.
Such systems are well equipped to deal with organic and inorganic contamination, he said.
Kawartha Conservation, also inundated with phone calls, issued a release Wednesday supporting the same.
“As environmental managers for our water resources, we are concerned about the large numbers of carp that are dying, but we do not anticipate that it will have an impact on water quality," said CAO Ian Macnab.
Those who draw their water directly from the lake, however, are "always open to contamination," Ovcharovich said.
However, those who draw surface water should have filtration and disinfection systems in place that should stop any potential problems.
"That should be able to take care of the bacterial load," he said.
Conservation authority aquatic biologist Heather Surrette noted that typically, diseases and parasites that would affect fish are not transferable to humans.
"But without knowing what it is, you can't be certain of what we are dealing with," she said.
The situation has the MNR advising the public that it is landowners responsibility to dispose of dead fish, not theirs.
And doing that requires some precautions, Beechie said.
Like anytime one deals with dead wildlife, rubber gloves should be worn to handle the fish, which should then both be disposed of in a plastic bag.
Those destined for the landfill should be double-bagged to prevent any problems for garbage collection staff, he said.
The carcasses can also be buried on shore, provided it is deep enough in the ground they won't be dug up by any animals, Beechie said.
Tools used to move the fish should also be disinfected afterwards and obviously, the fish should not be eaten, he said.
Concerns about dead fish on public beaches should be forwarded to the appropriate landowner, Beechie said, such as the municipality, conservation authority, or health unit.
On Wednesday, the City of Kawartha Lakes announced that all of its municipal landfills would receive carp carcasses at no charge, provided they are double-bagged.jbain@thepost.ca
