Whirling disease found in six more locations in Banff park
Condition may have been present for years, inspection agency says
Whirling disease, a contagious disease that could have a major effect on the province’s trout populations, has been confirmed in six additional locations in Banff National Park.
Earlier this week, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency — which monitors diseases that are important to aquatic health or the Canadian economy — posted the latest results on its website.
“Additional detections of whirling disease from the ongoing sampling and testing do not mean the disease is spreading,” said the Monday update.
“Whirling disease may have been present for several years and the ongoing sampling will help determine the extent of the distribution and the most appropriate disease response.
“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will determine the need for any further disease declarations on the status of whirling disease when the complete results of this year’s surveillance plan sampling and testing have been received.”
The first Canadian case of whirling disease — named after the circular swimming patterns of infected fish — was confirmed in Johnson Lake in Banff National Park in August after a Parks Canada employee saw a fish exhibiting symptoms earlier this year.
Since then, it has also been found in the Bow River in Banff National Park.
The latest six spots include the Bow River, downstream of the area where the Bow River and Carrot Creek meet, the Lower Cascade River, the Bow River near Tunnel Mountain, Carrot Creek, Cascade Creek and the Spray River.
An official with Parks Canada said all of the additional locations are related to finding the disease in the Bow River in Banff National Park.
Johnson Lake remains closed, and restrictions were also put in place earlier this month for other streams, rivers and lakes in Banff National Park to protect critical trout habitat.
Whirling disease can be spread by people or birds, and affects six species of cold-water fish found in Alberta: cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish, brown trout, bull trout and brook trout.
Both cutthroat trout and bull trout are listed as species at risk.
Additional samples are still being tested throughout Alberta, but those results have not yet been revealed.