What,s everyones oppion on the live bait issues

[stickyfingerdpuppeter]

I still wonder why crayfish and captjj havent said anything aboat kingfisher1 idea.???When theve been so open to talk aboat every thing else pertaning to v.h.s.Im sorry if it seems im trying to attack you.Im just wondering why youve had nothing to say aboat his idea?On captjj other post he asked me whats my beef?My beef is i use emeralds for almost all of fishing.Ive lived near and fished this lake all my life,like my father and grandfather.If they pass crayfishs proposal that will not allow me to net and use emeralds in the same lake,that will for the most part completly put a end to what my family has done for 3 generations now.I would hope the dec would be smart anufe to make a sensable law.Like kingfishers idea,in fact well be pushing for that on this end e mailing[and calling dec staff with kingfishers idea being so far makes the most sense of all the ideas ive seen.I know the retired senior aquatic biologist MR.C outa dunkirk i will call him and discuss with him his take on the idea, and this whole thing.We will talk to many others.No cray fish its not attitudes that help pass laws its actions like this that do.Its not to cool now the law may effect you and your lake now is it?No bait sales or use in a lake thats not been infected.Also its not that the baitshops would be charging a whole lot more.But its a fact bait sales will skyrocket if a law passes that stops fishermen from catching their own.bet you didnt think of that one ::)anyway i wont be wasting my time debaiting this with you or anyone else on iceshanty.I know a lota of guys around here and will take a diffrent aproach.Im nota fan of vhs or anything but im not for some sensless law thats gona ruin fishing for numerous fishermen,and watch the bait dealers get rich.I personally feel if stoping vhs was your only concern you woudve responded to kingfisher1 idea nothing from you or captjj??on it yet?     

[doctariAFC]

Why don't they eliminate the new regulations on the lakes where VHS has already been found? It makes no sense to limit the use of bait on a lake where the virus is already present. I don't see how using Lake Erie minnows on Conesus could hurt, since both lakes are already infected. They should concentrate on the lakes that do not have the virus. They could post a list of infected lakes and exclude them from the new regs.

The trouble is with this approach is that the State would have to have the ability to test every singlke body of water for VHS.  They cannot.  By permitting the collection and sale of bait from one known infected water to another "known infected" water, the risk of "abuse" or unlawful use of minnows increases, and enforcement is already a big time problem as it is.  It is believed they could compound their problem, and effectively stymie LE from actually enforcing the laws (that they have no hope of enforcing in the first place)

Then of course you have the challenge of getting up to date information out to the angling community.  Let's say the Great Lakes watersheds and Conesus Lake are the infected waters, but 15 more turn up positive next week.  Now they have to amend their list of lakes, and this then changes LE strategies and priorities on a dime.  Its easier to prohibit collection from known waters, as the act of collecting bait is easier than determining whether bait being used while angling came from a proper body of water.

I hope that helps.

[doctariAFC]

FYI

January 30, 2007, 10:43 AM EST

PITTSBURGH -- The state Fish and Boat Commission on Tuesday imposed a
temporary ban on taking live fish out of the Lake Erie watershed.

The ban is designed protect the health of the region's fishery by
reducing the potential spread of fish diseases, said commission
spokesman Dan Tredinnick.

Of particular concern is viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, a virus
that has been detected in the Great Lakes system in the last several
years. The virus has been linked to several fish kills and some fish
believed to carry the virus are used as bait fish.

The virus poses no risk to humans but causes internal bleeding in fish.


The federal government last year restricted the movement of 37 species
susceptible to the VHS virus.

[jimski2]

 acouple questions-
Is the VHS in the water or in the fish?
Could VHS have existed for centuries, just no one looked or found it till now?

[doctariAFC]

acouple questions-
Is the VHS in the water or in the fish?
Could VHS have existed for centuries, just no one looked or found it till now?

VHS lives in the fish and is spread through ingestion of infected fish, or through infected fish bodily fluids crossing over the gills in the water, but fish need to be in close proximity to eachother (like schools of bait or spawning fish) for infection to spread.  It spreads readily.

The first instances of this pathogen were detected in Europe @ 1979, in fish hatcheries farming rainbow trout.  First instances in North America were detected (another strain) in the 1990's in marine fish on the Pacific and Atlantic Coasts, primarily in salmon.

This pathogen, since the 1990's has been on the "hot list" from the World Organization of Animal Health, and since that time, any new discoveries had to be reported to them.  Although it is possible it has been here longer than we know, I highly doubt it has been here for a "long time", especially considering the severe damage this disease is known to cause (in fish culture operations, up to 100% mortality).

[pembroke]

Many have said that bait prices should not go up because the price of bait from the southwest is remaining stable and this is true. Now for a reality check, it all depends on where the baitshops got their bait before the new laws. before the new law my emerald shiners came from the Niagara River now they come from Wisconsin, at a price increase of over 100%. As for fatheads we used to get our fatheads locally except during very cold weather. Know we get all of are fatheads from the southwest at double the price. Our pike bait in the winter used to be commons from the Niagara River now all of are winter pike bait comes from the southwest at almost double the cost.
now for the real bad news price from the southwest are stable right now because there is little demand. What is going to happen in the spring when there is a demand?
Larry
Pembroke

[doctariAFC]

Many have said that bait prices should not go up because the price of bait from the southwest is remaining stable and this is true. Now for a reality check, it all depends on where the baitshops got their bait before the new laws. before the new law my emerald shiners came from the Niagara River now they come from Wisconsin, at a price increase of over 100%. As for fatheads we used to get our fatheads locally except during very cold weather. Know we get all of are fatheads from the southwest at double the price. Our pike bait in the winter used to be commons from the Niagara River now all of are winter pike bait comes from the southwest at almost double the cost.
now for the real bad news price from the southwest are stable right now because there is little demand. What is going to happen in the spring when there is a demand?
Larry
Pembroke

Bingo.  Well said!

[stickyfingerdpuppeter]

?