Two Central Alberta trout farms sit anxious and in limbo as the province continues to investigate incidents of whirling disease.
Alberta Environment and Parks issued a precautionary quarantine order on commercial fish culture licence holders in early September after the disease was discovered in Alberta for the first time in Banff National Park waters in late August.
The province wanted time to test the commercial operations for whirling disease to reduce the risk of it being transmitted from fish farms to wild populations.
Whirling disease is so named because a parasite affects the fish’s nervous system and it starts swimming in a whirling manner.
It is not harmful to humans but in young fish the mortality rate can be as high as 90 per cent.
Jack Fraser, who owns Fraser Trout Farm and Hatchery near Lacombe, said Thursday he’s still waiting to hear more from the province.
“Nobody let’s you know anything. You’re just kind of sitting. You can’t buy anything, you can’t sell anything.”
The province is trying to nail down where the disease came from and for how long it’s been around. “I don’t know if they’ll be able to because it’s nothing new. It’s in the States. All it takes is a bird to carry the parasite.”
Fraser has been raising rainbow trout for about 25 years and produces about 100,000 a year. Commercial fish farms sell to various private buyers such as fish and game associations or farmers.
When asked if AEP has confirmed whirling disease in his fish, he said: “Not a hundred per cent no.”
“While we’re sitting here waiting for them to decide what’s what, me and every other farmer, we’re still feeding fish.”
Smoky Trout Farm owner Max Menard suspects the disease has been around for many years in Alberta.
“The likelihood is it’s probably been here longer than we all think.” The parasite can be transported by birds or on boats and fishing gear.
“We tested negative,” he said, adding his farm’s quarantine order has been lifted. But he is still not stocking fish in any water bodies on a voluntary basis at the request of AEP to give the department more time to investigate.
There are about 4,000 private ponds in Alberta that are stocked by commercial fish farms, Menard said. His farm, located north of Hwy 11A, raises about 160,000 fish each year.
Menard said they need to stock very soon before their clients’ ponds freeze over. Normally they are stocking water bodies in late September, and new eggs will be arriving soon.
They do have protocol to prevent disease, Menard said, including sterilizing eggs when they arrive.
He’s hoping to hear in the next few days that they can begin stocking. “We’re not really sure what we’re doing yet.”
Travis Ripley, with Alberta Environment and Parks, said they have been working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which has been conducting confirmation tests in Alberta for whirling disease.
Ripley said the department will work closely with a fish farm that tests positive for whirling disease, evaluating the facility and options for decontamination and eradication of the disease.
They continue to collect isamples from the wild and commercial operations to better understand the extent of the disease in Alberta, he said.
There is an action plan now being executed, including an evaluation of potential management options they may consider once they have all the information they need, he said.
The department understands the time restrictions and they are in continual communication with the commercial operators, Ripley said. “We do understand the urgency.”
Compensating fish farmers that may need to destroy fish is under consideration, but nothing is finalized, he said.
barr@www.reddeeradvocate.com