The most dangerous fish virus known worldwide has joined the efforts of climate change to devastate the freshwater species of the North America’s Great Lakes. Yes, an Ebola-like virus is causing epidemic like situation by bleeding tens of thousands of fish to death.
Scientists fear that the aggressive virus – viral haemorrhagic septicemia – has been brought in by ocean-going ships. Scores of the devastating virus could plague across the continent, with already having spread in the lakes ‘uncontrollably.’ Importantly, these lakes contain a fifth of the world’s fresh water.
The killer virus has already taken its toll on some 37 species of fish in the lakes, which includes salmon, trout, perch and white bass. This has already hit the lakes’ $4bn (£2bn) fishing business.
John Dettmers, a fisheries biologist for the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission said,
Updates over the winter suggest that it has spread further than we thought, even last year. As much as I’d like to say we know exactly what is going on, we don’t. We’re all sitting on the edge of our chairs waiting to see how bad it’s going to be this year.
To help sailing go steady without a cargo, ships take in ballast water, only to discharge it when they reach the ports for loading up. This water inevitably releases viruses there, given free rides around the globe with some flourishing vigorously in their new surroundings, resulting in plagues.
Though, the state governments off-late is trying to introduce controlling measures by banning ocean going ships from discharging ballast water without first sterilizing it, ‘ironically’ only to be sued by shipping companies for what is claimed to be “placing an undue burden” on them!
Claiming the law unconstitutional, unjust and unfair, nine salties-representing shipping groups say,
(the law) places unreasonable burdens on interstate commerce and is clearly excessive in relation to the putative local benefits gained.
Now the state has more to solve than the main problem – the political brawl.
Photo: Boatnerd.com