Whirling disease infects Bow River watershed

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has declared Alberta to a be a buffer zone after confirming the spread of whirling disease to the Bow River watershed.
Whirling disease is an infectious disease caused by a parasite that affects fin fish. In Alberta trout and char are affected.
The disease does not affect people or other animals.
Juvenile fish become infected after eating tubifex worms that have the parasite.
Symptoms of whirling disease include, skeletal deformities of the body and head, indentations in the head, the tail darkens or turns black and the fish will swim in a whirling pattern.
The infected area includes all streams, creeks, lakes and rivers that feed into the Bow River and all bodies of water that the Bow River feeds, including the Western Irrigation District and Chestermere Lake.
The CFIA states that the affected zone ends at the convergence of the Bow River and South Saskatchewan River.
Since the disease does not affect humans there are no plans to change any of the regulations for fishing and other recreation in the water shed.
While no restrictions are being put in place the province is working to identify and where possible contain the spread of the disease.
The primary method of containment is the continuation of the “Clean, Drain and Dry” education campaign to prevent the spread of disease by anglers and recreational boaters.
For more information about whirling disease, contact the Environment and Parks Info Centre at 310-3773.
Anyone who suspects that a fish they have caught has whirling disease is asked to call 1-855-336-2628.