A new high intensity ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer was installed in the sturgeon building at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery (NFH) in December.

Since 2004, the sturgeon building has been the main facility on the hatchery for rearing up to 40,000 7.5” sturgeon annually for federal, state and tribal commitments in the Midwest. The building receives fresh solar heated water from a nearby hatchery pond. However, an outdoor pond will naturally harbor many ubiquitous fish pathogens including parasites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

The UV unit installed at Genoa is rated to inactivate bacteria, fungi and most viruses at a high flow rate of approximately 250 gallons per minute with an intensity of 30,000 microwatts per second per square centimeter. It will also inactivate problem parasites such as Ichthyophthirius tomites and trichodina species at a lower flow rate, which is crucial during the early stages of sturgeon culture (up to 2”). Sturgeon fry are very susceptible to commonplace pathogens such as columnaris infections and bacterial gill disease.

With this new prophylactic water treatment system disease treatments should most assuredly decrease due to the reduced bacterial exposure. It is hoped that the UV will provide the hatchery with healthier fish while reducing the use of therapeutic chemicals. It is another example of the Fish and Wildlife Service using best management practices in order to support recovery and restoration efforts of threatened and endangered species throughout the country.

The installation of the new system was completed by staff maintenance man Dan Kumlin.