A series of fishing regulations signed by Department of Natural Resources Director Rebecca Humphries recently are designed to enlist anglers and the bait industry as allies to slow the spread of fish diseases, particularly Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). The regulations go into effect on June 28.

"These regulations are critical to our efforts to slow the spread of VHS, along with other fish diseases, and we must have anglers and the bait industry as allies in this effort as the DNR cannot do this on our own," said Humphries.

The regulations are very similar to those presented to the Natural Resources Commission in May. Some modifications were made based on public input at that meeting, along with those of NRC members, which clarified some areas of the regulations. The key modifications were: baitfish and fish eggs (roe) can only be used on a hook, which does allow the use of spawn sacks; the locations where fish can be released by catch and release angling; both the Disease Management Areas and Prohibited Species List are now appendices to allow for simpler changes; the use of roe for human consumption without fish disease testing will be allowed; and the bait certification process has been improved and clarified.

"The approved regulations are designed to provide a set of best management practices for anglers and the bait industry and are consistent with those of other states and the Province of Ontario," said DNR Fisheries Chief Dr. Kelley Smith. "They are an education tool to make our anglers and the bait industry full partners in the fight against fish diseases, such as VHS."

The key highlights of the new regulations are:

• The regulations only apply to species on the Prohibited Species List. The key baitfish species for anglers are spottail shiners, emerald shiners, bluntnose minnows, white suckers, and Pacific herring (frozen for cut bait). The key species for fish eggs (roe) are Chinook salmon, coho salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout/steelhead.
• Bait includes live, dead, frozen and parts or cut bait including fish eggs (roe).
• Anglers will get a receipt from the bait shop which will tell them where they can use the bait and if is certified VHS-free, which can be used anywhere in the state.
• Receipts are valid 7 days.
• Uncertified bait from a bait shop or collected by anglers is restricted on where it can be used. Baitfish from VHS positive waters can only be used on VHS positive waters, VHS surveillance waters baitfish can be used in VHS surveillance or positive waters, and baitfish from VHS-free waters can be used anywhere in the state. The key for anglers is knowing the location of the Disease Management Areas, and that information will be available at the bait shops and on the DNR Web site.
• Bait and fish eggs can only be used on a hook if they are on the Prohibited Species List. The use of spawn sacks is acceptable. Anglers cannot release minnows when done fishing and must dispose of them when leaving the water. The release of many baitfish or large amounts of fish eggs by anglers that are potentially VHS-positive is an easy way to spread the virus, fisheries officials warned.
• When practicing catch and release fishing, you may only release a live fish back into water that the fish can freely swim into from the location it was caught. This applies to catch-and-immediate-release and catch-and-delayed-release (tournament) fishing. This will prevent the virus from being transported by live fish to new waters.
• All water must be emptied from live wells and bilges when leaving a body of water. This regulation applies to all boaters and will prevent the virus from being transported by infected water.

In addition, the key highlights for retail and wholesale minnow dealers are: