**Isle Royale National Park** News Release

![](media/image1.png){width="0.55in"
height="0.7027777777777777in"}Release date: Immediate

Contact: Phyllis Green

Phone number: 906-482-0986

Date: April 22, 2008

Emergency Bait Use and Boat Cleaning Restrictions

Enacted at Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park Superintendent Phyllis Green announced
emergency restrictions on the possession and use of organic fish bait
for fishing within the Lake Superior waters of the park and on
decontamination of boats transported to the park via *Ranger III*.
"These restrictions are necessary to help prevent the spread of viral
hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) to Lake Superior and the waters around Isle
Royale. This deadly fish virus has the potential to devastate island
fish populations if it gets into the Lake," Green said.

The restrictions take effect April 22, 2008. Under these new
restrictions, the possession and use of fish and/or fish parts as bait
for fishing in Isle Royale's Lake Superior waters will be restricted to
only those fish or fish parts obtained from fish caught within Isle
Royale National Park. All transportation of fish or fish parts to the
island for use as bait is prohibited. The new restrictions also require
all boats transported to Isle Royale on *Ranger III* to be washed or
disinfected prior to departure.

VHS is a deadly fish virus that has recently been detected in all of the
lower Great Lakes and several inland lakes. It is spreading rapidly and
has caused large scale fish kills in the lower Great Lakes. The virus
affects at least 32 species of freshwater fish, 28 of which occur in the
Lake Superior Basin. The virus has not yet been detected in Lake
Superior, but has significant potential to impact the ecological
integrity of fish populations and recreational fishing opportunities
throughout the basin. The virus, which is known to emerge and spread
rapidly in the early spring, does not impact humans.

The four units of the National Park System on Lake Superior (Isle Royale
National Park, Apostle Islands and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores,
and Grand Portage National Monument) and the Grand Portage Band of the
Lake Superior Chippewa recently approved a plan to protect park and
tribal fishery resources from VHS. The plan identifies six major
categories of vectors that could cause the spread of VHS into and within
these parks and reservation waters, analyzes the likelihood (relative
risks) associated with each of these vectors, and includes
recommendations on what must be done to mitigate the threat posed by
that specific risk. The highest risk vectors include the use of VHS
infected bait by anglers, the spread of VHS by infected water and/or
fish in boats, agency and tribal operations, and untreated ballast water
exchange. The full NPS/ Grand Portage VHS Prevention and Response Plan
can be accessed at [www.nps.gov/isro](http://www.nps.gov/isro).

Although the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has issued new
bait fish regulations in an effort to combat VHS, they will not provide
adequate protection for Isle Royale National Park. Many anglers come to
Isle Royale directly from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada as well as
Michigan, which increases the potential for transporting VHS-positive
bait fish. Restrictive, park-specific measures to prevent the
introduction of VHS by human-associated vectors may prove effective
because the park is isolated from non-park user groups that do not fall
under NPS jurisdiction. The park shares no adjacent shorelines and is
not located near heavily-used state or provincial sites. Therefore, the
most likely transmission sources to the park are those that specifically
travel to or through the park, and therefore may be effectively
regulated to reduce risk of VHS contamination.

"We understand that these new restrictions may be inconvenient for park
visitors, but we are convinced we need to take action now to do all we
can to prevent the spread of VHS to Lake Superior", Green said. Similar
actions restricting bait fish use have been enacted at the other park
units on Lake Superior. "By diligent effort and working together with
other parks and anglers, we are hopeful we can protect Lake Superior
fish populations from VHS," concluded Green.

The full text of the emergency restrictions can be found at
[www.nps.gov/isro](http://www.nps.gov/isro).

\- NPS -