Columnaris Disease Blamed for Stonewall Fish Kill
WV Gazette
3 June 2010
By The Associated Press
ROANOKE, W.Va. -- Testing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows
about 1,500 fish at Stonewall Jackson Lake died of a common panfish
ailment called columnaris disease.
Division of Natural Resources biologist Kevin Yokum said Thursday the
disease starts with a naturally occurring bacterium found in most
lakes. It can cause problems when fish come under stress that can be
caused by things such as spawning or a change in water temperature.
Most of the fish killed at Stonewall Jackson were crappie that had
brown lesions on their flesh. Yokum says they're still safe to eat, as
long as the fish are prepared and cooked properly.
Columnaris disease is usually related to a single species, but Yokum
says it can sometimes affect other species, too.