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Community Corner

Experts Pin Kent Lake Fish Die-Off on Virus

Spring viremia of carp is the likely cause of death of 200 to 500 fish.

A local DNR biologist believes he has pinpointed the cause of a that occurred at Kent Lake last weekend.

A new estimate of 200 to 500 carp died, likely due to a virus called spring viremia of carp, said DNR fisheries biologist, Jim Francis.

Francis said that conditions were favorable for the spread of the virus, with the lake’s temperature being under 65 degrees.  

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“All of the reports we have received are consistent with the virus ,” Francis said.

Concerns that the fish had been poisoned by a water treatment or were victims of oxygen turnover can be laid to rest since either of those scenarios would have killed many different species indiscriminately, Francis said. 

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Other area lakes have been affected by the same virus, including Woodland Lake in Brighton.

“It’s not the worst thing in the world when some carp die off,” Francis said.  “They aren’t good for the ecosytem.  They do harm to lakes.” Francis said.

Though 500 fish sounds like a big number, Francis said it only represents a small percent of the population in Kent Lake.  He says the die-off is likely over now that the lake’s temperature is just above 65 degrees.

Clean-up crews at Kensington Metropark are currently hard at work trying to clean the lake and shoreline of the dead fish carcasses, said metropark superintendent Kimberly Jarvis.  She said she anticipates a quick clean-up.

“If the die-off is over, it will be no later than the end of the week,” Jarvis said.

Many of the dead carp will be used in Kensingtons community service garden as fertilizer.

“When we can use no more they will be disposed of appropriately,” Jarvis said.

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