Whirling disease infection declared for Oldman watershed
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ALBERTA – The Oldman River watershed has been declared infected with whirling disease by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The declaration follows a similar announcement in February regarding the Bow River watershed. All streams, creeks, lakes, and rivers that feed into the Oldman River are included. The infection zone ends at the confluence of the Oldman and South Saskatchewan Rivers. The remaining areas of Alberta are buffer areas.
Whirling disease affects different species of fish depending on the area. In a news release the Alberta government says the species most susceptible here are mountain whitefish and rainbow, westslope cutthroat, and brook trout.
Infected fish may exhibit a whirling swimming pattern, skeletal deformities, or a dark-coloured tail, or they may have no symptoms at all. There is no treatment for the infection, and officials can only work to prevent its spread. The government also says new positive tests for whirling disease are not necessarily proof that it is spreading.
