Didymo foubd in another river

[Kype]

An invasive algae known as Didymo has been identified in the Gunpowder River

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/indexinland.html#4c

[bigwilly11189]

That's really sad. I always let my boots dry out completely if possible, and if not I'll spray them with some bleach/water mix let it sit for a little bit then rinse to kill any bacteria to prevent this even though I'm not in any infected waters...Oh and I promise to listen to your song :)

[southpaw526]

I wonder if spraying your stuff down w/ Lysol would help? Is this a bacterial organism?

[Kype]

If things work out well I will have some information for you on the site. I got a pile of stuff from our VT didymo biologist.

Bobby

[bigwilly11189]

I think its mroe of a fungi...I hear I'm a fungi to be with :)

[Flyone73]

Here's a little info:

http://www.gmtrout.com/untitled89/index.html

[Kype]

Good info!

Bobby

[Freeloader]

yeah I was up in Vermont stowe area and the guide there was saying what a huge problem it was. Its sad that we cant reverse it.

i think issues like these should be taught more often in schools rather than the useless know how they preach to us. If everyone were more in tune with what was going on in the ecosystem this wouldn't be such a huge problem. I would think that 75% or more of the anglers out there dont know how to properly clean their gear if they even have the notion of doing so.

This stuff and many other invasive species could really wind up screwin us in the long run.

And good song!

[Kype]

Thank You Mike!
I can't agree with your assesment more.

Bobby

[MuddlerMinnow]

I've asked the question many times, but I still have not been given a satisfactory answer to the way you should clean your gear. Your two options seem to be:

1) Let it dry completely, which may take 6 months. Or have a separate set of gear for each water shed.
2) Carry a bucket and chemicals that shouldn't be in the water to kill the organism, and to hell with anything that lives where the chemicals are later disposed of.

I am not saying this out of a lack of concern for the problem. However, I've been frustrated by the lack of good guidance on how to deal with it.

[bassrag]

Recently at a SRAA meeting Neil Hagstrom from the DEP told us about the bleach solution and salt water soak and the hot!! water soak and he also said freezing the boots for 12 hours would kill the didymo.

[Kype]

Good question! Soon Vermont will have a web site with information regarding Didymo issues etc. As soon as it is up I will be sure to post a link. So far it is looking very good.

In the mean time here is what I am doing as recommended by our biologist working on Public Relations regarding didymo.
Since I have felt bottom boots I use: Dishwashing Detergent and hot water: (‘Green’ products are less effective and not recommended for disinfecting): soak for 30 minutes in a hot 5% detergent/water solution kept above 120 F.

I also confine my fishing to the same beat of pools to reduce my potential of spreading didymo. If I decide to move up river or to another river I do a bang up job of cleaning my gear and always begin fishing up river and move down stream to fish later in the outing. The idea is that Didymo can only move up river with assistance. So start with clean gear up river and fish down. It has limited my fishing however I have to do it.

C&R eliminated the work of cleaning the catch and made fly fishing a breeze but now Didymo has put the work back into it! Instead of cleaning fish now I clean waders. It really is not all that bad when you get use to it. I hang my breathable waders on my back porch to dry and they dry quickly. I often leave the shoes in the dish soap solution after cleaning and hose them off the next day before fishing. I use fresh hot soapy water each time I clean. That is what I am doing and it sure beats bleach which is not recommended for absorbent materials. I kind of enjoy clean smelling waders and boots!

As to seperate gear I look at it like this we no longer know for sure where it will turn up and most likely is going to appear in every destination river if we don't use Universal Precautions. I assume every place has it so I clean my gear and fish accordingly. It sucks but that is my approach. I have it so I know I must clean before fishing beyond my home pools. A second set of gear will not free you of the work of cleaning. Sorry!
I hope this helps!

Tight Lines!

Bobby

Places to look:
EPA Region 8 web site on Didymosphenia geminata
NH/VT public web site on didymo
Didymo – Cleaning Methods MAF Biosecurity New Zealand

[HuckFinn]

I read a Biology book that said ducks could spread fish eggs because they would stick to thier feet then fly to new water where they would fall off. I guess my question is can this happen with Didymo? If it can, it seems like the spread of Didymo would be pretty much unstopable. Then again, if it was possible it would seem like the alge would be in a lot more rivers by now.

[Kype]

I have made this post on two threads to be sure people see this information.

Guys

Michael Hemling of VT F&W asked me to shair this info on Didymo.



Good news Bobby,

Please have a look and let your contacts know about it.

Hope all is well and the heat isn’t keeping you cooped up!

Michael

Here’s the link:
http://www.vtwaterquality.org/lakes/htm/ans/lp_didymo.htm#what_precautions

It’s accessible on our DEC site in the aquatic nuisance species part of their website in a dropdown box under the host of various ANS species we have (or fear) in VT. That is here:
http://www.vtwaterquality.org/lakes/htm/ans/lp_ans-index.htm

[Keats]

Didymo has now been confirmed in the the Mad River in Warren, Vermont.

[dudley]

When I worked at the hatchery, every time you went into a different building you had to slosh through a trough containing a Lysol solution

Felt soles were not allowed. If you needed better traction, you wore "Stabilicers"

[Kype]

This recent discovery of didymo in the Mad River is chilling. The Mad is a tributary of the big Winooski River system. Didymo has made a grand leap Northwest over the Green Mountains and likely will be moved by man to Vermont Rivers throughout the big Winooski River system as well as neighboring rivers.

Regardless of where you fish in Vermont please use “Universal Precautions” consider every brook, stream and river as infected with didymo because it probably is, yet undiscovered.

If I didn’t live in Vermont I would really wonder if a trip to fish here was worth the risk of infecting my home waters.

I could just scream!

Bobby

[Downeaster]

Bad Bad Didymo...