12/4/2020 - Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) Secretary Julie Moore invites the public to join her on Wednesday, December 9 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm to discuss a variety of environmental topics. The meeting will start with a conversation about fish health in Lake Memphremagog where Agency scientists will provide an update on the Brown Bullhead lesion investigation.
“Lake ecosystems are complex. The health of the fish in a lake is an important indicator of the overall condition of the waterbody,” said Secretary Moore. “When new or novel problems surface, like the discovery of a high incidence of brown bullhead lesions in the South Bay of Lake Memphremagog, the Agency turns to its team of scientists to investigate possible causes and ultimately, identify solutions.”
At the meeting, Rick Levey, an environmental scientist with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and Pete Emerson, a fisheries biologist for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, will provide more information about the investigation. Together, the two departments surveyed Lake Memphremagog’s South Bay, Hospital Cove and Derby Bay throughout 2014-2018. Surveys found a high incidence (20-30%) of skin lesions or tumors on Brown Bullhead. The prevalence of lesions and tumors in wild fish has been used as an indicator of environmental quality for many decades. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Department of Environmental Conservation, and USGS National Fish Health Laboratory researchers have been working together to determine the cause of these fish lesions. Results of this work will be presented at the meeting.
After an initial overview on Brown Bullhead, Secretary Moore will open the floor to answer questions from attendees. The Secretary encourages attendees to bring any questions they have about Vermont’s natural resources. The virtual meeting will be on Wednesday, December 9 from 4:00-5:00 pm, via Microsoft Teams(link is external). To join by phone, call 802-828-7667, and enter the conference ID: 730 614 326#. To request accommodations to participate in the series, please email anr.info@vermont.gov(link sends e-mail)