Hundreds of DEAD BASS in the Detroit River

[LennyB]

Don't know exactly why but the we had a major fish kill in the river this winter, mainly Largemouth and Musky. The canals and bays are full of them. There are a bunch along the US shoreline and backwater areas as well.

[21XDC]

    

http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/contagious-virus-causing-fish-die-off-in-lake-st-clair

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/04/01/detroit-river-fish-toxins-mercury/99491076/

[djkimmel]

Don't know exactly why but the we had a major fish kill in the river this winter, mainly Largemouth and Musky. The canals and bays are full of them. There are a bunch along the US shoreline and backwater areas as well.

Please contact the Lake Erie MDNR Fisheries Division at:
Natural Resources Manager
Sara Thomas
thomass35@michigan.gov
248-666-7443

Biologist Jeff Braunscheidel
braunscheidelj@michigan.gov
248-666-7445
Covers Detroit, Rouge, Ecorse, Huron, and Raisin river watersheds

Give them a report of what you have seen and where. They may want to go collect some samples.

About 2 weeks ago we had the Lake Erie LSC Citizens Fishery Advisory Committee and it was reported they had only seen about 500 dead Gizzard Shad. They suspected VHS as a possible cause based on physical signs but had no results yet.

Or "Any unusual fish die-offs can also be reported to Michigan authorities by email at DNR-FISH-Report-Fish-Kills@michigan.gov, Whelan said."

[fiker]

One of our club members reported to Jeff (last name?) from fisheries last Thursday .  Jeff got right on it and alerted Ontario as well. Samples have been taken and sent to the labs. They suspect vhs since the die off is multi species and happened during colder waters.
If this proves true it will affect the collection of musky eggs in the river.
Jeff said the virus is always present and sometimes flares up for reasons they don't know. 
He claimed that the number of dying fish is usually not a high percentage of the population although still a concern.
I learned a lot of this at the regional fisheries meeting in Taylor last week.