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Biologists have learned that the primary cause of the recent fish kill in the Atchafalaya Basin is largemouth bass virus (LMBV).
The diagnosis was made by Dr. John Hawk of the LSU School of Veterinary Science, working in conjunction with Mike Walker, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist in charge of basin management.
"The fish kill was first noted several weeks ago when recreational fishermen began reporting small numbers of dead fish throughout the basin," Walker said. "The puzzling thing about this kill was that it affected only largemouth bass."
Walker took samples of the dead fish to LSU, where LMBV was suspected as the possible cause. The disease has appeared recently in Mississippi and is also believed to be the cause of some fish kills in Texas. The outbreak in the Atchafalaya Basin is the first sign of LMBV in Louisiana.
The virus was first identified in South Carolina in the mid 1990s. Little is known about the virus, its transmission or the cause of infection. The disease affects the swim bladder, causing problems with equilibrium and often leading to death.
For more information, contact Mike Walker at 318/373-0032 walker_mr@wlf.state.la.us
Uploaded: 9/12/1999
Uploaded: 9/12/1999