Eric Leis and Sarah Bauer, La Crosse Fish Health Center, explain inspection procedures to future fishery biologists. - FWS photo by Ryan Katona

On August 14^,  Ryan Katona, Eric Leis, and Sarah Bauer of the La Crosse Fish Health Center conducted the annual fall inspection of Iron River National Fish Hatchery in Iron River, WI.   From the hatchery, brook trout and lake trout were screened for pathogens.  Also brook trout and mottled sculpin were sampled from Schacte Creek, the hatchery’s water source. 

            The samples taken were used to detect viruses, bacteria and parasites.  Routine inspection procedures screen samples for the following viruses:  viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHSV), infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), infectious hematopoetic necrosis virus (IHNV), and largemouth bass virus (LMBV). 

The bacteria of interest are Yersinia ruckeri, Renibacterium salmoninarum, and Aeromonas salmonicida which cause enteric redmouth, bacterial kidney disease, and furunculosis, respectively.  Additionally, the heads of the trout are used to check for Myxobolus cerebralis, which is a parasite that causes whirling disease.