TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL EASTERN FISH HEALTH WORKSHOP MARCH 10-13, 2000     Implementation Of The National Wild Fish Health Survey In The Northeast: Partnerships, Findings, Goals     Patricia Barbash and John Coll   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Fishery Center, Fish Health Section, Lamar, PA, 16848     Since the National Wild Fish Health Survey was initiated in 1996, federal Fish Health Centers have built many important partnerships with states, tribes, private and academic institutions nationwide. Within U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5, the Northeast Fisheries Center, Fish Health Section in Lamar (PA), has developed partnerships with 10 state, 6 federal, 4 private and 2 Academic entities.  Over the past three years, approximately 8,500 fish, representing 39 species were sampled from nearly 100 sites throughout Region 5.  This presentation will review results and focus on collections with one National Park partner in Virginia.  Findings of all samples collected nationally country will become available on the National Wild Fish Health Database accessed on the Internet.  Thus far in Region 5, the only viral agent identified from wild fish is that which causes infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN).  The virus was identified from blacknose dace(Rhinichthys atratulus), as well as a small number of salmonids.  All assays run for detection of Myxobolus cerebralis (cause of Salmonid whirling disease), have been negative by the pepsin trypsin digest method.  The bacterial pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida (cause of furunculosis) has been detected in very few samples, one originating from a sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)collected in New Hampshire. Yersinia ruckeri (cause of enteric redmouth disease), has been isolated from a channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)in the Hudson River, as well as a few salmonids throughout the region.  The most startling results are those obtained from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) run on kidney tissues collected from all fish of practical size for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum ( cause of bacterial kidney disease).  Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has confirmed ELISA positive findings for this pathogen from many salmonids, and indicated that low levels of R.salmoninarum were somewhat common among trout populations throughout the sampling sites in Region 5.  Fish other than salmonids were found to carry this pathogen as well.  These include American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and the very same samples of blacknose dace previously mentioned to have the IPNv collected in Virginia. The results to date have proven interesting, but particularly challenging for some state fisheries management programs, as will be discussed in subsequent presentations.    Return to 25th Annual Eastern Fish Health Workshop Return to Leetown Science Center Home Page