# odnr may outlaw salomon eggs!



## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

i read in the lake county gazette today ,the odnr wants to outlaw the use of salmon eggs (from anywhere) from I-90 aand south of it. anybody else hear this?


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

Hmmmm..Woooowsers... Can you post a link to the story!


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## MuskieMan35 (Mar 5, 2008)

glad i fly fish


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I think it has to do with this post from Eugene.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=117919


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

i could not find it on the net ,but read it in the paperand it is because of the vhs disease.


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## AnthHol (Jul 24, 2007)

Bob posted the story in the NE Ohio section if you want to see it.


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

Between VHS and snake heads...  grim time for fishing in general.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

believe it once it happens. email odnr and find out for sure


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## master of steel (Oct 12, 2008)

Here's the link to the article.

From what I read, I can't see it being enforced for the time being as the ODNR needs to add it to the regulations to make it legal. Right now, it's the state agricultural department responsibility to enforce it. The state is so broke and I can't see state inspectors and game wardens spending countless hours looking for the illegal use of eggs. 

IMO, it's almost impossible to enforce and why didn't the state ban all bait back in 2006 when they stopped the transportation of bait fish across state lines. The whole I-90 boundary is silly as fish routinely cross it all the time whether it's steelhead, bass or carp.


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## jojopro (Oct 9, 2007)

Great points there Master of Steel.

The way that I interpret this new ruling is that the use of spawn sacks will not be outlawed entirely, but new restrictions have been enacted. You will no longer be able to use your harvested steelhead eggs anywhere but north of I-90 in OH. I believe that you will still be able to use salmon eggs that have been inspected and are certifiably free of VHS...(I believe that all eggs sold in OH now have had to be certified free of VHS even before these new restrictions). Since the sale of steelhead eggs was allready illegal, there will be no way to purchase certified VHS free steelhead eggs, so absolutely no steelhead eggs may be used south of I-90.

It will be interesting to see how or even if they enforce these new restrictions. I have only seen ODNR officers present on steelhead waters a handfull of times. So if I buy some certified VHS free salmon eggs in bulk and then tie them up into sacks and put them into unmarked containers, how do I or an ODNR officer prove if they are 'clean' or not??? Or, if I'm fishing with steelhead eggs on a river north of I-90 but then walk up stream (south of I-90), could I get into trouble just for having those eggs in my possession but not be fishing them??? It will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

John


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

I posted this in northeast forum......


I got this e-mail from a friend. Bummer.

Outdoors: State bans trout, salmon eggs as bait south of I-90
Published: Tuesday, May 12, 2009

No comments posted. | Email to a friend | Print version | | RSS Feeds 

By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn 
[email protected]

An expanded ruling by the Ohio Department of Agriculture has put the legal kibosh on the use of trout and salmon eggs as bait anywhere south of Interstate 90.

That means it is illegal for anglers stripping trout eggs from steelhead caught from the Vermilion, Rocky, Grand and Chagrin rivers, as well as Conneaut Creek, to make up spawn sacks utilizing the roe.

Also applicable is a prohibition on the use of eggs obtained elsewhere, such as from brown trout and king salmon caught from the waters of the Niagara River or Lake Ontario.

The effort on the part of the state agricultural department is to contain Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). Much of the effort is designed to help protect the state's $3.1 million aquaculture industry, and VHS poses a threat to this business, Ohio Agriculture Director Robert Boggs said in a prepared statement on May 7.

Testing thus far has not shown VHS as appearing outside of the Lake Erie basin, and the department wants to keep it that way.

Ohio's ban officially prohibits the intrastate distribution of VHS-susceptible fish, eggs or bait fish  either living or dead  from a line using Route 6 and I-90 to the Pennsylvania line.

"The Ohio Department of Agriculture is responsible for protecting all animals, including fish, from devastating disease such as VHS," Boggs said.

Ray Petering, the chief fisheries biologist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said this expanded ruling will impose additional restrictions on steelhead anglers.

"One change is that where the initial proclamation restricted live fish and live eggs, this one also restricts dead fish and dead eggs. That would mean spawn sacks made from eggs obtained out of state, or north of I-90 in Ohio, could not be used south of I-90. Spawn sacks made from certified VHS-free eggs could be used," Petering said.

However, the matter of enforcement comes into play, as Petering's agency is not empowered to enforce the ruling.

That responsibility falls to the state agricultural department.

"We also rely on the assistance of the ODNR and fishermen and report any incidents regarding this proclamation. We'll then launch an investigation," said Kaleigh Frazier, an agricultural department spokeswoman.

"That did happen twice in 2008."

Pennsylvania has a similar rule, though it uses the Lake Erie watershed streams as the dividing line and not an arbitrary highway. In Pennsylvania, its Fish and Boat Commission officers enforce that state's VHS-protection order.


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## master of steel (Oct 12, 2008)

Wouldn't curing eggs kill the virus? I wonder if biologists have done tests on them. I'm sure their will be some egg supplier looking to stake a claim as a supplier for the entire Great Lakes region.


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## ErieOutfitters (Apr 20, 2008)

All of us as fisherman should be asking alot of questions. What study shows a salted frozen minnow transfers the desease. What study shows that eggs cured ,frozen and used for bait transfers the disease. I care about are lakes and rivers as much as anyone (its my livelihood) but is there anything to show this makes a difference? Its hard enough for the shops to survive a Ohio winter and they just took away a bright spot and for what reason? I have not herd or read that "Studies done" show that these things are even necessary, or work for that matter. Birds carry eggs on there feet from one body of water to another ,we better kill of all ducks! This law is not just about bait but the salted minnow guys are now out of biz, Wayne from Lees just got his legs cut off, Marvin the eggman no longer drives the truck. This is about real jobs and real people. Every rain rich cities as well as poor dump huge amounts of untreated waste into are drinking water but little Jonny's frozen minnows are the problem. Barges, factories, gas station run off, lawn care, on and on and spawn bags???? But a salesman was here yesterday trying to sell VHS certified minnows in a bag. How much did he pay for that stamp? Who's pockets did he fill? I would love to see the info answering my questions but until then we should all be writing and calling asking for answers...................Craig


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

Hey Craig add this to your list of unanswered questions. If transmission of VHS can occur through direct contact with infected fish, or contact with infected equipment. Then why is anyone allowed to step foot into the water and fish?


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

..lol true but there are other ppl out there that think they walk on water .. lol.... No I'm not saying anything about anyone here just a funny!... We all do need to do our part!


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## ErieOutfitters (Apr 20, 2008)

Steelheader007, Whats your take????????? You have been around, so just wondering.....................Craig


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

ErieOutfitters said:


> Steelheader007, Whats your take????????? You have been around, so just wondering.....................Craig



Well I would like to see the exact information that all the lil biology folks have found to base there educated guesses on. I would like to know just how much they understand what it would take to spread this disease. I would like to be able to ask them point blank questions, and hoping to get straight answers. I want to know do they know what they are doing to stop the spread of this disease. I'm sure they do not want us to be alarmed, but it would be nice to see if they infact have a good idea and what there intentions are to make this situation better. I guess also to know what is really at risk here?


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## Eugene (Jun 23, 2004)

Consarn it! I typed lengthy reply, the system decided I wasn't logged in, and lost it. As best as I can remember...

Keep in mind, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) proclamation only applies within Ohio. Anything interstate regarding VHS is regulated by the USDA. Technically, the ODA proclamation prohibits the transport of live fish and living or dead baitfish on the susceptible list from north of US-6 in the west and I-90 in the east to south of that line. Thus, an angler could strip eggs from a fish caught upstream/south of I-90 and still use them anyplace south of that line. However, eggs collected north of I-90 or from the open lake cannot be used to the south. As pointed out, this is really hard to enforce, but it is the law so I will follow it until changed. There have been some pretty horrific misinterpretations recently printed in the popular press. You can read the latest ODA press release and proclamation here:
http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/index.php?topic=1131.0

The proclamation is far from perfect. It still permits an angler to net potentially infected lake-run shad just upstream of I-90 and use them inland throughout Ohio. As pointed out here, it also prevents an angler from stripping steelhead eggs north of I-90 and using them to the south on the same stream where the fish themselves are already carrying them anyhow. I suggested the proclamation be reworded yet again to redraw the restriction line to emulate the Lake Erie fishing regs: at the first dam. This mitigates both previous examples, and anglers who fish Lake Erie and tribs are already accustomed to recognizing that line. One issue that would remain is what to do regarding aquaculture facilities that don't necessarily operate on a stream? The USDA order to prompt all this specifically was created to keep the disease out of culture facilities.

I don't think any Ohio agency, certainly not the Division of Wildlife nor ODA, is happy with the current state of things. The ODA is convening an emergency meeting tomorrow. I'm eager to hear what comes of it. I'm out of town at a conference with limited capacity to reply, but will post as possible and I have word.


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## Eugene (Jun 23, 2004)

Elsewhere, I've posted links to agency fact sheets and some peer-reviewed literature regarding sustained viability of the virus. Unfortunately, there's not a lot in print yet regarding the effects of curing techniques, but if kept cold and fresh, the infectious virus is quite persistent, including within repeatedly frozen and thawed fish tissue. I haven't seen _any_ good evidence of any instance of transfer of the disease by an airborne bird. It might be possible for very close water bodies, but things dry pretty quickly in the air, and fish in bird guts are quickly heated to the point that the virus is no longer viable.


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## Eugene (Jun 23, 2004)

Just to clear up any misinformation, I am posting the the latest revision of the ODA VHS proclamation that is in effect within Ohio state lines.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

great info eugene! 

personally I have a great Idea for clearing this up, If everyone would just fly fish and catch and release, the realll way to fish steelies, we wouldnt have these problems.....

btw, that was total sarcasm, before someone has a cow


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Mooooooooo!!!!


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

There are many questions and much ambiguity in the proclamation and the press release is a disaster. This was admitted to me when I called the ODA last week. Seems that there was a lot of 'attorney influence' in both. The person I spoke with seemed to have a position of authority in the ODA. He also asked for some input and agreed that the I-90 thing was not logical as it restricted some tribs to about a mile and others to many miles with NO REGARD to actual fish movement. I suggested that there were only about 11 streams that would/should/could have actual dams and or landmarks named and he agreed that this could be doable. 

*Suggestion:
ALL FOLKS WHO HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT THIS ISSUE SHOULD CALL!!
THESE LITTLE FORUM DISCUSSIONS DON'T DO SQUAT UNLESS YOU CALL THE PEOPLE MAKING THE RULES. *
The number I called was 614-728-6211. I was transferred to a ODA veterinarian voice mail who called back within a half hour. We then spoke for about another half hour. 

STEP AWAY FRON THE KEYBOARD AND MAKE THE CALL. No one wants VHS spread to inland waters but some common sense, logic and clarity in the rules and the press releases that announce them are NOT too much to ask for.


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