Not a happy story

[DonAndersen]

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/564d1c08-bf40-4f5e-bef4-b80d2c8d205e/resource/70d3f48e-3a7e-4224-86b7-7ac3bad5e6b1/download/aep-whirling-disease-2019-technical-report-crowsnest-river-2020-09.pdf

[FraserN]

I read the entire study, and I agree. The Crowsnest river Rainbow trout fishery is headed for some very hard times for years to come. Thanks for downloading this latest information, Don. It is very eye opening.

[SilverDoctor]

Thanks for pointing this out will read and take time to digest.

[toolman]

Thanks for posting this, Don. Not good news for our Alberta fishery.

[DonAndersen]

And the ugliest part.
WD infestation can be laid at the feet of Govt,,  Guiding industry and anglers should took no effort to keep it outta Canada. 
This type of stupidity will destroy Alberta.

 

Don

[adams]

I hope the Govt takes this report and specifically the Recommendations section seriously and gets serious about WD. In the meantime, the only thing we can do (besides petition the Govt) is to be extra careful. The COVID thing has had a positive side-effect in limiting the American anglers, albeit too late. 

 

[toolman]

It was inevitable that it would end up here in southern Alberta, in spite of any attempts to prevent it. It's like trying to stop a common cold virus from spreading. 

Question is, where to from here?

[jasonvilly]

The AEP Whirling Disease task force that produced this report has had its funding severely decreased.  Much of the work that they have been doing is going to be discontinued unfortunately.

Last year they hosted an online virtual WD conference which I attended, where a lot of the research was presented.  It really opened my eyes to the work the task force was doing.

Dont get me wrong, work will still be done on this portfolio, but just not same amount or scope.

 

BRTF was approached by the U of A looking for some financial support to do some site specific research on the Bow River. We are now looking into see what help we can provide them.  Will get back to you with the progress once I have that info. 

[toolman]

Thanks Jason.

We need to consider the grim evidence that we already have concerning the Bow river. The collapse of one - two year old Rainbow stocks. I've seen AEP boats out doing their survey recently, so if this year's numbers show no recovery, it would suggest a worse case scenario, like the lower Crownest and, that we may only have a couple of more years before there are no longer sufficient numbers of adult spawners left in the river to sustain reproduction. I'm expecting the worst...

[jimbow]

Hmmm what will kill the river(s) first? Coal mine or whirling disease?

[jasonvilly]

i learned a bunch about WD attending the virtual symposium. 

If you would like to watch the symposium, here is a link. It had a bunch of very informative info: 

 

[eagleflyfisher]

I’m so grossed out I don’t know how to respond.

after 30 plus years of adventure on this amazing stream.

Not knowing the exact answer how did the rivers in US manage through this ?

Restocking ?

 

[toolman]

They managed very poorly. Restocking efforts are finally paying some dividends but it's been a very long road to recovery.

 

 

[DonAndersen]

16 hours ago, toolman said:

They managed very poorly. Restocking efforts are finally paying some dividends but it's been a very long road to recovery.

 

 

Managed poorly is hardly covering it. No effort to limit spread of disease in Alberta.