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The Clinton administration signed 2 million dollars into law for whirling research funds on October 12, under intense pressure from the Montana Congressional delegation. The funding is great news for anglers in Montana, California and throughout the West, where trout and salmon fisheries have been decimated by the disease over the past two decades. According to the Trout Unlimited, whirling disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that attacks the cartilage of trout and salmon. The dramatic impacts of the disease include frenzied tail chasing or "whirling" by fish when they are feeding or alarmed, skeletal deformities, and heavy mortalities of young fish. Though it was once considered a problem only in hatcheries, whirling disease became a national crisis in 1994 when researchers discovered the disease in the Colorado River in Colorado and the Madison River in Montana, where the disease killed up to 90 percent of the wild rainbow trout populations, according to Trout Unlimited. The whirling disease parasite has been found in at least 22 states. |
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"The Administration's original proposal to cut funding ignored the extensive damage the disease has caused as it has spread through some of our nation's finest rivers and fisheries. Thankfully, our Montana congressional delegation worked effectively with House and Senate appropriations to ensure the $2 million needed for continued research of whirling disease was signed into law," said Steve Moyer, Trout Unlimited Vice President of Conservational Programs. In June, at the urging of the Montana congressional delegation, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed $2 million for the continuation of activities begun in FY97 to combat whirling disease and related fish health issues. According to Executive Director of Trout Unlimited, Dave Nickum, the money will focus on two areas; the Wild Fish Health Survey and the Partnership on Management of Wild and Native Coldwater Fisheries. "The Wild Health Survey will deal with basic data collection like stocking practices and its adverse effects," said Nickum. The Partnership on Management of Wild and Native Coldwater Fisheries will focus on education on things like habitat management, what can be done with stocking, and with what species. "There are hot spots with this disease, and if we can locate them then we can begin to work on management so that it does not continue to spread," said Nickum. "Past research has made great strides in influencing the practices of responsible fishery management and has allowed states infected with whirling disease to begin protecting themselves from further spread. But we are a long way away from taking back America's blue ribbon fisheries from the wrath of whirling disease," said Moyer. This funding is an important step in stopping whirling disease from infecting the West's hatcheries and wild trout and salmon populations. |
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