New tests done for James River fish mystery

By Lindsey Ward

Published: May 20, 2008

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries sent shock waves through the James River, scooping up sick fish.  And one by one they are pulled from the water and sent for testing.

“About half the fish we’re seeing seem to have sores of some kind,” said Scott Smith, Biologist with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Starting in 2004 sick fish started appearing in the Shenandoah River, but it wasn’t until last year they started showing up in the James, requiring more tests.
   
Biologists from Virginia Tech and U.S. Geological Services are on hand taking samples.  They fill petri dishes and test tubes, hoping to find out why so many fish suffer from lesions or die.

This spring concludes seasonal testing on the James in Botetourt County. In 2007 scientist tested the fish in summer, fall and winter.  Although they don’t know what is causing the problems, it seems to begin around April.

“These fish will develop lesions or we’ll have fish kills in the April, May time period into early June and then as water temperatures warm we get into summer months, we see those lesions start to heal and by fall, late summer, early fall we don’t see any signs of stress in these fish populations,” explained Steve Reeser, Biologist with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

With this research they hope to answer the floating questions.