Whirling disease detected at another commercial fish operation in Alberta

Whirling disease has been detected at another commercial fish operation in Alberta, prompting officials to impose additional quarantines as they figure out how to deal with the problem.

In a release Wednesday, Canadian Food Inspection Agency officials said the aquatic disease had been detected Dec. 23, 2016, at a "commercial aquaculture facility licensed by the Government of Alberta."

The CFIA said it wasn't yet disclosing the location.

The release also says whirling disease was detected Dec. 16, 2016, at a number of additional locations in the Bow River in southern Alberta upstream from Wildcat Island, downstream from Wildcat Island, downstream from the confluence of Jumping Pound Creek and the Bow River, downstream from Mitford, near Willow Island and near Johnson Island.

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The disease affects trout and salmon. It can cause infected fish to swim in a whirling pattern and die prematurely.

It was first detected in Johnson Lake, near Banff, on Aug. 23, 2016, and since then has been foundin nearly 50 locations.

When reached Wednesday,CFIAofficials were unavailable to comment further.

Along with being found in the Bow River and tributaries around Banff, the disease has also been detected at a commercial fish operation in the Lacombe area north of Red Deer.

A handful of operations have been placed under quarantine as officials grapple with how to eradicate the disease.

In November, officials said they are considering draining the water from Johnson Lake in an effort to expose the parasite to colder temperatures.

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