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June 2010--Newsletter and Fish Bits

To view a PDF version of The Fish Line and Fish Bits, please click here.

 The U.S. Trout Farmers Association and the National Association of State Aquaculture Coordinators (NASAC) will hold a joint 2010 Fall Conference, September 9-11 in Branson, MO, at the Lodge of the Ozarks. The USTFA General Session begins at 1 PM on September 9th. A tour will be held on the 11th. The agenda includes updates on: VHS; the National Aquatic Animal Health Plan (NAAHP); the USDA/NASS Trout Production Survey; and the National Aquatic Nuisances Species Task Force.  Dr. Gary Jensen, will present, the USDA and US Aquaculture - “A Look Back and Glimpse Forward in Perspective to Now.”  Daniel Deisenroth, CSU Agricultural Economics, will present the final results of the WRAC funded research, Economic Contribution of the Aquacultural Suppliers of Recreational Fish (ASRF) in the Western United States. More information is available online at: www.ustfa.org/, or contact the USTFA office: Phone: 870-850-7900, Email: ustfa@thenaa.net.

 WRAC-IAC Update: The Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) was increased from 9 to 12 members several years ago, with phased in appointments. Therefore, with the retirement of Rebecca Cooper, three new members were appointed. They are Jeremy Liley, Liley Fisheries Inc, Boulder, CO; Mark Francis, Aquaneering. Inc., San Diego; and Linda Lemmon, Blind Canyon Aquaranch, Hagerman, ID. Visit the updated WRAC website: www.fish.washington.edu/wrac/

 Due to the discovery of rusty crayfish (an aquatic nuisance species) in the Yampa River in 2009, the Director of the CDOW ordered that all crayfish in the Yampa River basin from its headwaters downstream to the Colorado-Utah state line, be returned to the water of origin immediately or killed by separating the abdomen from the cephalothorax. The closure begins April 10, 2010 and extends through December 31, 2010. (For more on the rusty crayfish problem, see Page 1.)

 Sixteen students of the TSJC Aquaculture Technician Program successfully completed the Fish Management Short Course presented at the Valley Campus by Assistant State Fish Pathologist, Carolyn Gunn, DVM, on March 23rd and 24th, 2010. Dr. Gunn made a presentation on numerous environmental, fungal, parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases of fish and stressed best management practices in the daily operation of a fish rearing facility. The 2-day workshop included “hands-on” wet-labs each day where the students learned proper necropsy and parasitology techniques. At the end of the workshop, each student was presented with a Certificate of Completion.

 The Melamine Story: In 2007, pet food that was contaminated with melamine and related compounds made many pets sick. Melamine was also found in some fish food. A web-cast with Dr. Renate Reimschuessel of FDA, explains what it took to uncover and confirm the presence of the adulterants in pet food. The webcast can be found at http://tinyurl.com/24ftabt  (From: AquaVetMed, 6/11/2010)

 Application of Pesticides: The EPA has issued a Federal Register notice on the Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Pesticide General Permit (PGP) for Point Source Discharges from the Application of Pesticides. There have been concerns that this new regulation may apply to use of some pesticides in commercial aquaculture and recreational ponds. There is no reference to aquaculture in the Draft, but the permit includes the use of pesticides for aquatic weed and algae control in waters of the US. Comments must be submitted on or before July 19, 2010. The full Federal Register notice can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-13468.htm. (From: Gary Jensen , USDA NIFA, Aquacontacts Mail Group News, June 9, 2010)

 The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) is publicly challenging Dr Mehmet Oz, host of the ‘Dr Oz Show’, to correct a number of errors and distortions that he made concerning fish, nutrition and mercury on a recent episode of his show. (From: TheFishSite Newsletter, 6/4/2010, http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/12397/)

 Pisces Molecular has moved to 1600 Range St., Ste. 201, Boulder, CO 80301. The telephone number, 303-546-9300 and email address, jwood@pisces-molecular.com, remain unchanged

 The Four P’s of a Safe and Sustainable Aquaculture Industry: Practices, Presentation, Promotion and the Press: The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) and the United Soybean Board have teamed up with local hosts to sponsor a one-day workshop at ten locations across the United States. The workshop will provide fish and shellfish producers with the knowledge and skills to market their products more successfully, grow their businesses, help shape the public’s perception of aquaculture at a local level, and work with government decision-makers. The locations closest to Colorado are Twin Falls, ID, on August 13; and Lonoke, AR, on August 26. For more information about these meetings, contact: NAA - Email: naa@thenaa.net, phone: 870-850-7900; or Linda O’Dierno, ljsmith44@optonline.net, cell: 914-330-7678

 Animal Health Literacy Program: FDA-Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has new material, “Aquaculture and Aquaculture Drugs Basics”
available online at http://tinyurl.com/2ceagdl. Links are provided to The Index of Legally Marketed Unapproved New Animal Drugs for Minor Species and the list of Approved Aquaculture Drugs.

 High Feed Costs Assistance: H.R. 4213: American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010, may proceed to a conference committee of senators and representatives to work out differences in the versions of the bill. If the bill comes out of the conference committee and is signed by the President, it will amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions. For aquaculture, it directs the Secretary to use specified Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds for state grants, through September 30, 2011, to eligible aquaculture producers for 2009 losses associated with high feed costs. You can track the bill at http://www.govtrack.us/

 Banning of Felt-Soled Waders: “Felt-soled waders continue to be a hot topic in the fly fishing community. Should anglers use them as they fish for trout? Should they be totally banned? Are there good alternatives? Or, are felt soles really not a problem at all?” Outdoor writer for the Bozaman Gazette, Mark Henckel, in the May 13, 2010 issue, begins his artricle with these questions and tries to find the answers. The article “Waders and invasive species: an anglers’ problem” can be found at http://billingsgazette.com/, search under felt sole waders.

 ‘’An Entirely Synthetic Fish: How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran the World’’ by Anders Halverson. Reviews on Amazon.com range from high praise to the opinion that the book “is just an arrogant hatchet job.” It sounds like it is a “must read” for all trout farmers.

 The New National Aquatic Animal Health Plan: What Does it Mean for Fish Farmers? By Andrew Goodwin, Professor/ Fish Pathologist, University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. Dr. Goodwin summarized the intent and history of the NAAHP and encourages industry “to keep a close watch on how it is implemented to make sure that industry concerns are addressed.” The plan, published in the Federal Register, can be found at: www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_dis_spec/aquaculture/ (From: www.uaex.edu/aqfi/extension (then publications, newsletters, Arkansas Aquafarming Volume 27-1. Spring 2010)

 VHS Study by Mark B. Bain, et al, concluded that survey “results and the record of VHSV in freshwater and marine habitats of Europe and North America, raise the possibility that VHSV was present in the Great Lakes for perhaps an extended period of years where it may have persisted in a subclinical form before the increase in infection pressure or other factors triggered major fish die-offs.” The open source article, Distribution of an Invasive Aquatic Pathogen (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus) in the Great Lakes and Its Relationship to Shipping, Public Library of Science One V 5 #4, can be found online at http://www.plosone.org/.

 Utah trout farms, closed down by possibly incorrect whirling disease diagnoses, are coming back on line. Long time CAA members, Mark and Loye West, West Haven Ranch, of Richfield, UT, are now back in business. 

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