Treatment Costly

Whirling disease

The Colorado Division of Wildlife estimates the cost of fighting whirling disease in rainbow trout in the next fiscal year at $8 million. And that is just a start.

Division officials have told legislators an additional $10 million may be needed to fight the disease that kills the young fish.

“The $8 million is the first of what could be several rounds of investment in hatchery cleanup and improvement to produce fish that have not been exposed to the disease,” according to a written response to questions from legislative budget writers.

The problem will not simply run its course, and action must be taken to quell the outbreak.

“There is no known method of eradicating the disease from streams and lakes,” the wildlife officials wrote.

They said they would use the $8 million to secure clean water at hatcheries, to install water treatment facilities and to improve the condition of raceways and ponds.

Whirling disease, which has been a major problem in Montana and may become a threat to Idaho fisheries, is caused by a parasite that cripples young trout before their cartilage can develop into bone.