The Lough, Cork. AVOID UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

twin_beacon

Not sure if there are any carp anglers here, but terrible breaking news from the lough in Cork.

This is from the Carp Fishing Ireland facebook page, post is by Bill Brazier.

Cork Lough update *
What an awful day that was. Apologies for not returning all calls & messages. Just home from the Lough in Cork City and the scenes are not good. Not afraid to say I shed a tear as I left. Several fish (4 or 5) were noticed with white blotches/patches towards the end of the weekend with some fish unusually lethargic. This has escalated quickly and now there are at least 200 fish (almost certainly more) showing signs of extreme lethargy and many of these with white blotches on them. Many fish have difficulty swimming and are very visible in the margins of the lake (unusual for the Lough during the day). It would appear to be a highly contagious infection, which may or may not be white spot (which is parasitic infection causing secondary bacterial infections).
I've been on the phone and email all day and with help from several relevant people managed to arrange for live fish to be sent to the Marine Institute in Galway for disease testing tomorrow which will clarify exactly what is causing it. I have to be brutally honest and say that this does not look good. Whether it is white spot (Ichthyophthirius parasite) or not may not matter as treating a lake full of 100s of carp is logistically nigh on impossible. Even if fish were removed and treated putting them back in the lake may well result in re-infection. Removing "sick" fish is unlikely to help either as the infection is likely in the water as well as on the fish. My own opinion is that the infection is as a result of both extremely poor water quality which has been deteriorating for years and too high a biomass of carp. We have tried for years (over a decade, in fact) to remedy these issues through official channels with the relevant bodies involved to no avail. The full story will be told in due course but now is not the time for finger pointing...
Two fish died today (both pictured), both around 10lb in size and these are the first ones to die to my knowledge. Fish of all sizes and ages are showing signs of infection,from 3-4lb fish right up to the biggest fish in the lake, 20lb+. The timing of this outbreak is highly unusual in that usually such issues only really surface under higher water temperatures when stress levels are greatly increased. On paper this shouldn't really be happening this early in the year (especially after the long winter we have had) but it is happening. With temperatures set to increase over the coming weeks plus the stress of spawning hormones being released things look very bleak and I honestly can't at this stage see the situation improving in any way. A major fish kill would seem to be on the cards.
I would plead with everyone to stay away from the Lough until further notice. We are asking for an INDEFINITE BAN ON ALL FISHING and boating activity at the lake and will be requesting that the Cork City Council and Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) assist in implementing this. IFI came out today to assist in fairness to them. The last thing we need is for this infection to be spread to other waters (which may have already happened) and with a great many fish seemingly about to die angling is the last thing they need. I'm back tomorrow with IFI to supervise the movement of fish to the Marine Institute and will update in due course.
The Lough may not be everyone's cup of tea but it is Ireland's best public carp water bar none and also our most historic, with some 64 years of history, multiple Irish records and umpteen thousands of captures in those years. However, this really looks like the end of the Lough as we know it. I hope I am wrong

corks finest

twin_beacon wrote: »

Not sure if there are any carp anglers here, but terrible breaking news from the lough in Cork.

This is from the Carp Fishing Ireland facebook page, post is by Bill Brazier.

That's vv sad, another example of waiting till the horse has bolted,Lough is an integral part of Cork, and should be maintained and cherished

malinheader

Surely that ban on the loch should of been implemented as soon as any suspicion of the disease came to light. Always better safer than sorry.

SeaFields

Saw that on Facebook. Depressing photos

twin_beacon

http://fishinginireland.info/news/coarse-reports/inland-fisheries-ireland-investigating-fish-kill-in-cork-city/

Sam Quentin

http://www.fishhelpline.co.uk/health/white_spot.html

twin_beacon

latest from Bill Brazier

Carp update 10th May * BREAKING NEWS. All carp samples from the Lough, Cork have tested positive for Carp Edema Virus (CEV), also known in aquaculture as "sleepy koi disease".
While tests are ongoing and further tests are carried out on the CEV detected, the Marine Institute Fish Health Unit are treating this as a SUSPECT POSITIVE and cannot confirm that the virus is the causative agent of the mortalities until all tests have been completed.
It is logical to assume the same virus is also present in Belvelly Lake, Cobh but tests on those samples are pending.
Updates in due course. I would again personally recommend (along with Inland Fisheries Ireland) that all carp anglers follow strict biosecurity procedures, disinfect and DRY all equipment in strong sunshine. Refraining from all carp angling would be the safest course of action in my own opinion until we know more but PLEASE keep an eye on your local waters regardless for signs of infection and remain extra vigilant!

beer enigma

twin_beacon wrote: »

latest from Bill Brazier

Fishing suspended in Inniscarra as well, no outbreak just precautionary

SeaFields

The latest update today is effectively 100% of carp killed from this infection.

twin_beacon

beer enigma wrote: »

Fishing suspended in Inniscarra as well, no outbreak just precautionary

I forgot Inniscarra has a few carp in there. I doubt it will stay closed for long, as its such an important venue on the match circuit, but with lots of bio security measures in place when it opens.
I fished Toomans in leitrim a few times in the past, they don't allow any external nets (landing nets or keep nets) into the fishery as a bio security measure. I think every carp fishery will be the same from now on. The initial spend for nets, and mats are worth it to keep diseases out.

SeaFields wrote: »

The latest update today is effectively 100% of carp killed from this infection.

indeed, as Bill said in one of his posts, some of the fish may live, but they will be carriers of the disease, and will probably be culled. Only the carp are effected, but I wonder are the other coarse fish in the lake carriers of the disease too? Also, can birds transfer this from one venue to another? I wonder is the only solution to this to drain both lakes to eradicate the disease fully? Im just thinking out loud, I know very little about the disease. I really hope both lakes are able to be restocked, and with the same strain of carp that lived in there before.