UNDIAGNOSED DIE-OFF, CARP - CANADA (ONTARIO)

People living on, fishing in, or swimming in the waters of Rice Lake or the Trent River [Ontario] are being asked to be on the lookout for dead carp। Even one dead carp should be reported to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), says spokesperson J.J. Beechie.Take precautions when handling such carcasses including wearing gloves, using a shovel and double-bagging for disposal, he says. As in all cases of handling dead wildlife, follow these measures, and disinfect items used to touch them.Officials still don't know what is killing the carp, and further testing is being carried out, Mr. Beechie continued.It may be a month before a federal lab has results, and then again, the reason for the fish die-off that appears to be moving through the Trent-Severn Waterway may never be known. "We may never get an answer about what it is," Mr. Beechie said.A massive number of dead fish were 1st spotted on Lake Scugog in the Trent-Severn Waterway in early June [2007] by the ministry's fish assessment unit checking on the health of the lake. Thousands of carp eventually floated onto shore showing "obvious signs of trauma" and blood red-coloured scales with some white, blotchy marks, he said.

By 26 Jun 2007, dead carp where being found in the Sturgeon River and Sturgeon Lake near Lindsay, the connecting waterways running northeast from Lake Scugog.On 9 Jul 2007, the tri-lake region of the Kawarthas north of Peterborough was also reporting dead carp in Buckhorn, Pigeon, and Chemong lakes, but so far not in the quantities that died in Lake Scugog.While the ministry's fish assessment unit discovered the fish problem that surfaced in Lake Scugog, "we do look to the public to help us monitor any fish disease or fish kill," Mr. Beechie said. "Call if you even see one (dead carp)," he says.A series of single sightings could indicate changes that should be followed up. Carp look like large goldfish with large scales."Because we don't yet know what it is (that is killing the carp) it's hard to say whether this will move to Rice Lake (or other parts of the system)," Mr. Beechie said.With this mystery still unsolved, the ministry advises when moving boats, fish bait, boating, or swimming equipment, or even wet bathing suits, from one lake to another, to clean and/or empty the items of water. This is already standard procedure in trying to limit the spread of invasive species.Initially the death of so many carp was suspected to be due to disease and/or a secondary infection, but this wasn't confirmed. There are no other large species-specific fish kills evident in the Trent-Severn Waterway at this time.Anyone who has seen a dead carp is asked to notify the Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-800-667-1940.[Byline: Valerie MacDonald]