December 2024 - 41

New Zealand mudsnails outcompete other species for food. (WGFD photo)
Protecting water discharge into hatchery receiving
water is the first phase of Game and Fish's work at
hatcheries and rearing stations to prevent AIS and fish
pathogens from entering these facilities. The second
phase is continued work to cover existing infrastructure.
Some locations have fish tanks inside buildings,
which is the most ideal scenario. However, some do
not and the risks increase of bad things getting in the
water and hurting fish. For instance, birds carrying
AIS or pathogens can land in open-water areas like
tanks and raceways. Birds and other animals that
defecate in that water have the same effect. At some
hatcheries with open water, small mammals pose
threats such as raccoons, mink and otters.
" There's always risks when tanks and raceways are
not covered, " Campbell said. " We're working on
that and prioritizing all of our risks. We are working
through it the best we can in an economically
sensible way. "
At Clark's Fork, Game and Fish is looking into
using a programmable moving laser light at night and
during low light to spook birds and other wildlife
away from open raceways.
However, New Zealand mudsnails have an inside
track to get into hatcheries and rearing stations. It
has been documented that these snails can survive
through a fish's digestive system. If a fish is brought
into a hatchery and has consumed a mudsnail,
and then defecates in the hatchery water, there is a
chance it could live and thrive in its new hatchery
environment.
That hasn't happened, yet Game and Fish is aware
it could, and precautions are underway to prevent it.
Part of the long-term future is going away from getting
fish from other states, especially cool/warm-water
species such as walleye, crappie, sunfish, etc. Plans
are underway to build a cool/warm-water facility to
raise fish at Speas in the coming years.
" Anything that's transporting water has the risk of
moving stuff, even if we can't see it, " Leonard said.
" We have these great facilities with clean systems, but
all it takes is one fish that is carrying something or
infected with something to get into a bunch of fish.
" We have to be cognizant of what's in our own
hatcheries, regardless of whether we bring in fish or
not, so we're not moving stuff around in our own
state. That's why we inspect our hatcheries every
year at least once. "
BKD
There is no such thing as a good fish pathogen.
Game and Fish is concerned about all of them, but
the good news is there is nothing right now that puts
the state's sportfish population in serious jeopardy.
Wyoming Wildlife | 41

December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2024

December 2024 - 1
December 2024 - 2
December 2024 - 3
December 2024 - 4
December 2024 - 5
December 2024 - 6
December 2024 - 7
December 2024 - 8
December 2024 - 9
December 2024 - 10
December 2024 - 11
December 2024 - 12
December 2024 - 13
December 2024 - 14
December 2024 - 15
December 2024 - 16
December 2024 - 17
December 2024 - 18
December 2024 - 19
December 2024 - 20
December 2024 - 21
December 2024 - 22
December 2024 - 23
December 2024 - 24
December 2024 - 25
December 2024 - 26
December 2024 - 27
December 2024 - 28
December 2024 - 29
December 2024 - 30
December 2024 - 31
December 2024 - 32
December 2024 - 33
December 2024 - 34
December 2024 - 35
December 2024 - 36
December 2024 - 37
December 2024 - 38
December 2024 - 39
December 2024 - 40
December 2024 - 41
December 2024 - 42
December 2024 - 43
December 2024 - 44
December 2024 - 45
December 2024 - 46
December 2024 - 47
December 2024 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com