ODA restricts movement of disease-susceptible fish

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Agriculture has prohibited the intrastate transportation, sale or distribution of 36 fish species susceptible to viral hemorrhagic septicemia out of the affected region in northern Ohio.
Containing. This will address the problem directly by containing movement where it is necessary and allowing the rest of the state to carry on its day-to-day operations, according to Robert Boggs, Ohio’s agriculture director.
Testing to date performed by the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s animal disease diagnostic laboratory has revealed that viral hemorrhagic septicemia is not present in the lower three-fourths of the state. The department will continue to test and monitor for the disease.
Contagious. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia is a dangerously contagious or infectious animal disease which must be reported under state law. It was introduced into the wild fish population by an invasive species. It is not harmful to humans.
Ohio’s ban prohibits intrastate distribution of viral hemorrhagic septicemia-susceptible fish or eggs, excluding channel catfish, out of the area in Ohio north of U.S. Highway 6 from the Indiana border to the intersection of U.S. Highway 6 and Interstate 90 near Fremont, continuing on I-90 to the Pennsylvania border.
This also includes the Sandusky River south of U.S. Highway 6 to the Ballville Dam.
Fish. Susceptible fish include: Atlantic cod, black crappie, bluegill, bluntnose minnow, brown bullhead, brown trout, burbot, Chinook salmon, coho salmon, chum salmon, emerald shiner, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, grayling, haddock, herring, Japanese flounder, largemouth bass, muskellunge, Pacific cod, pike, pink salmon, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, redhorse sucker, rock bass, rockling, round goby, smallmouth bass, sprat, turbot, walleye, white baass, white perch, whitefish, and yellow perch.
The prohibition, effective for a period of one year, does not apply to live fish or eggs removed directly from production facilities that have tested negative for viral hemorrhagic septicemia.
It also excludes live fish or eggs that are being transported for use by research scientists in closed research facilities with diagnostic laboratories.