As the issuing agent for fishing licenses, Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci feels it is of great importance to educate our residents about emergency regulations which were recently adopted to prevent the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) and other fish diseases into the inland waters of New York. The changes affect limits to possession, sale, transfer, taking and release of certain baitfish and other live fish in New York waters. The most likely pathway to spread VHS and other diseases is through the introduction of infected fish into uninfected fish populations; therefore, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is calling for the use of certified bait.
VHS is a fish pathogen and poses no threat to public health. VHS is primarily spread from fish to fish, therefore transplanting fish through stocking or the use of bait can potentially spread the disease to uninfected fish populations. These emergency regulations have been adopted to prevent the spread of VHS by requiring bait fish to either be used only in the same water from which they were caught or certifying bait fish to be used in waters other than from which they were caught. All stocked fish must be certified prior to their use/release in the waters of New York.
The Clarkstown Town Clerk’s Office has a pamphlet available that explains the new bait fish regulations, entitled, “Keep Fishing Great! Use Certified Bait!” Please note that due to the timing of this fish health emergency, the fish health emergency regulations were not in the 2006-2008 New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide. A new guide will be available in August.
Carlucci stated, “It is important that we all do our part to ensure that VHS is not spread to un-infected waters in the Hudson Valley.” As VHS can pose serious socioeconomic problems in areas affected, taking the following preventative measures is vital:
· Follow all fish health emergency regulations. Inform your friends about the fish health emergency regulations. It will take the cooperation of all anglers to help prevent the spread of VHS.
· Do not transport fish from one body of water to another!
· Try to contain the virus by washing boats when moving them between lakes.
Please visit www.clarkstownclerk.com or call Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci at 845-639-2010 for more information or questions. Carlucci stated, “If everyone remembers this catchy phrase (pun intended), ‘Keep Fishing Great! Use Certified Bait!’ we’ll be able to protect our local waterways from this fish killing disease.”
VHS is a fish pathogen and poses no threat to public health. VHS is primarily spread from fish to fish, therefore transplanting fish through stocking or the use of bait can potentially spread the disease to uninfected fish populations. These emergency regulations have been adopted to prevent the spread of VHS by requiring bait fish to either be used only in the same water from which they were caught or certifying bait fish to be used in waters other than from which they were caught. All stocked fish must be certified prior to their use/release in the waters of New York.
The Clarkstown Town Clerk’s Office has a pamphlet available that explains the new bait fish regulations, entitled, “Keep Fishing Great! Use Certified Bait!” Please note that due to the timing of this fish health emergency, the fish health emergency regulations were not in the 2006-2008 New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide. A new guide will be available in August.
Carlucci stated, “It is important that we all do our part to ensure that VHS is not spread to un-infected waters in the Hudson Valley.” As VHS can pose serious socioeconomic problems in areas affected, taking the following preventative measures is vital:
· Follow all fish health emergency regulations. Inform your friends about the fish health emergency regulations. It will take the cooperation of all anglers to help prevent the spread of VHS.
· Do not transport fish from one body of water to another!
· Try to contain the virus by washing boats when moving them between lakes.
Please visit www.clarkstownclerk.com or call Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci at 845-639-2010 for more information or questions. Carlucci stated, “If everyone remembers this catchy phrase (pun intended), ‘Keep Fishing Great! Use Certified Bait!’ we’ll be able to protect our local waterways from this fish killing disease.”
No comments:
Post a Comment