A deadly new fish virus that caused huge fish kills in several eastern Great Lakes in 2005 and 2006 is likely already in Lake Michigan and may be in Lake Superior and the Mississippi River.
Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, or VHS virus, is not a threat to people who handle infected fish or want to eat their catch, but it can kill more than 25 fish species. To prevents its spread, new emergency rules prohibit boaters and anglers from moving water and live fish, including minnows, from one waterbody to another. These include many of the same actions DNR has long asked people to take to avoid introducing invasive plants and animals to new waters.
New requirements for anglers and boaters to keep fish healthy
Emergency rules effective April 2007 require that boaters and anglers:
Drain all water from your boat, trailer, bait buckets, coolers, and other containers before you leave the landing or shore fishing site location on Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, the Mississippi River or their tributaries).
Do not transport live fish, including bait fish, away from any Great Lakes or Mississippi River drainage landing or shore fishing location. This includes tributaries up to the first dam.
Do not use “cut” or dead bait from other waters (except when fishing in Lake Michigan, Green Bay, or tributaries).
Do not use minnows unless they were purchased from a Wisconsin bait dealer or you legally caught the minnows from the place you are fishing.
Draining all water from boats and boating and fishing equipment is strongly recommended after boating or fishing on all Wisconsin waters, as is inspecting your boat and trailer and removing all visible plants and animals. These steps will also help prevent the spread of other diseases and invasive species.