ASA Opposes Ban on Interstate Fish Shipments from Great Lakes
by Mary Jane Williamson
Alexandria, VA—November 2, 2006—The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) opposes the recent ban on interstate shipments of several species of live fish from the Great Lakes. In an October 24, 2006, letter to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrator, ASA asked that the ban be rescinded.
“The American Sportfishing Association strongly supports appropriate fish disease prevention and control programs,” said ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson, “but we are concerned that this Order was not developed and implemented with the full participation of all affected government authorities and the sportfishing industry on which the Order will have a significant economic impact. VHS has been present for at least four years in the Great Lakes and numerous authorities are currently taking steps to develop an effective and collaborative control program.”
Robertson further says, “Additionally, ASA is concerned that implementing a hasty and poorly coordinated Order impacting the major stakeholders and authorities with resource management responsibilities and major economic interests, does not advance sound resource management with the appropriate and effective controls.”
The purpose of the ban is to attempt to limit the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) to aquaculture facilities. To view the order and the list of species affected go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/aqua/.
VHS is a saltwater virus and has been blamed for the deaths of several species of fish in the Great Lakes such as sheepshead, musky and round gobies. VHS has been present in the Great Lakes system for at least four years and the lack of consultation by APHIS prior to issuing the ban has caused great concern among Great Lakes states state fishery managers. Managers are addressing this problem through cooperative efforts through the multi-jurisdictional Great Lakes Fisheries Health Committee.
The states affected are: Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin. In addition, importation from the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec of the same species are not permitted.
Unless rescinded, the order, issued under the authority of the Animal Health Protection Act, will remain in effect until APHIS puts in place an Interim Rule that is expected to establish testing and certification criteria for susceptible species. APHIS estimates publication of the Interim Rule to occur by spring 2007.
The impacts of the ban could be far ranging because it affects trading of game fish species between state fishery agencies. There is also a significant impact on the bait fish market that depends on the interstate transport of a number of popular baitfish such as emerald shiners and fathead minnows.
The American Sportfishing Association is the sportfishing industry’s trade association, uniting more than 650 members of the sportfishing and boating industries with state fish and wildlife agencies, federal land and water management agencies, conservation organizations, angler advocacy group and outdoor journalists. The American Sportfishing Association safeguards and promotes the enduring social, economic, and conservation values of sportfishing.
