7805

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7805
• Author: Colorado River Wildlife Council.
• Title: Minutes, Colorado River Fish & Wildlife Council.
• USFW Year: 1988.
• USFW - Doc Type: July 9, 1988.
• Copyright Material: NO

a
Fish Disease Committee Report
The report of the Fish Disease Committee was given by Mr. Dennis Anderson in
absence of the Chairman Mr. Robert Wiley. Activities of the committee were .
largely devoted to the symposium on whirling disease; however, the committee
also did put together and recommend to the technical committee the package on
changes to the fish disease policy, which has been provided to the council
and described by Mr. Gustaveson. The committee feels that one thing that
could be done to strengthen the policy would be each state individually
developing regulations to deal with intrastate movements of fish eggs and
gametes. Utah is currently doing this by specific permit for each such move-
ment. California does have regulations that deal with intrastate movements
of fish, but does not require a specific permit.
The committee has also agreed to provide for private fish culture representa-
tion on the committee. This was discussed at the technical committee meeting
and approval was given to go ahead with such representation as long as the
private sector representatives were not allowed to a vote on actions. The
committee is planning to add two private sector representatives at committee
meetings should the private sector want to attend.
Another item that was discussed at committee meetings as well as the whirling
disease conference is the issue of indemnification. There has been a good
deal of discussion in regard to possible development of an indemnification
fund that could be used to provide relief when fish must be destroyed. At
the present time, the committee is not asking for any council action but
hopefully they can make recommendations to the council in the future.
Whirling Disease Report
Mr. Anderson provided a report of the whirling disease status and the
symposium on whirling disease. A breakdown by state with regard to presence
of the disease and program is as follows: California, the disease is present .
and has been for a number of years but there have been no findings in the
Colorado Basin in California. Nevada, also present for a number of years
with no confirmed findings in the Colorado Basin. Arizona, no identified
incidents. New Mexico, the disease has been found but it has not been found
in the Colorado River Basin. There have been no occurrences of the disease
in Utah. The disease has very recently been diagnosed in Wyoming, in one .
incidence on the South Plat River drainage not far from the Colorado Basin
divide. Colorado also recently had the disease confirmed since December,
1987 and within the last month has had confirmed incidents in the Colorado
Basin. The status is that it is currently found, from some samples, from a
private pond in the Steamboat Springs area. Just recently, there has been
another finding in Colorado in the Basin--a main stem free-flowing reservoir ,
on an upper river main stem tributary to the Colorado.
The whirling disease symposium had approximately 72 registered participants,
including the Fish & Wildlife Service, 16 different states, including all of
the Basin states, and a number of representatives from the private sector.
The gathering represented a complete breakdown of the knowledge in regard to
whirling disease in North America and was the largest conference in regard
specifically to whirling disease that has been held.
a
4