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Woodland Beach Property Owners Association |
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Why are the Fish and Birds dying, 2011? >October of 2010 The Ministry of Natural Resources and staff at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park collected a number of dead fish and diving birds, including more that 30 common loons and 9 Sturgeon, a threatened species. Woodland Beach also experienced a die off of mostly Loons and Gulls. Tiny Township was called and would only clean up Township owned beach. WBPOA organized a clean up in other areas.
A loon carcass was sent to the
University of Guelph for testing in
November/2010 but the report was
unable to detect suspected botulism
- a toxin produced by a naturally
occurring bacterium that under
certain conditions can enter the
aquatic food chain. Although the
test did
not show the presence of botulism,
it was not ruled out as it is
difficult to test for. (Refer to
the article below from Lake Huron
Binational Partnership 2011 Annual
Report).
These die offs are very common in
the Great Lakes if conditions are
right. The right conditions usually
include rapid temperature change.
Two major events could occur. Mid
to late summer terns, gulls and
cormorants are affected. During Fall
migration sandpipers, fish eating
birds such as loons, mergansers and
grebes, mussel-eating ducks such as
long tailed ducks, scoters and scaup.
Fish could be freshwater drum,
small mouth bass, round gobies and
lake sturgeon.
>September 2011
- We have again been affected
with a die off on the Beach.
The count on September 26th was 12
birds and 9 Fish consisting of 10
gulls, 1 Loon, 1 Sandpiper, 5
Sturgeon 3-4 ft long, Carp, Carp,
Trout and Bass. Tiny Township office
confirmed the shoreline is affected
right to the 12th Concession. We
suspect that there were more but
some people have thankfully cleaned
up in front of their beachfront
cottages. WBPOA organized a
clean-up with a few permanent
residents as their condition was
quickly deteriorating.
>Oct 3 rd -
This week we have had a second die
off fish and gulls. A second report
was made to Wasaga Beach Provincial
Park, Ministry of Natural Resources
and the testing facility, Canadian
Co-op Wildlife Heath Centre in
Guelph, (see link below:
www.ccwhc.ca ). The WB Provincial
Park has also seen a second die off
this week of mostly Loons, Gulls and
a few fish.
NEXT STEPS:
We could continue to see die-offs.
As disturbing at this is we are
responsible for cleaning up our own
beach. Tiny Township will only
clean up township owned beach, if
they are called.
The MNR has recommended that the
fish be buried so other shore birds
are not affected. The hole should
be 2 ft. deep and well away from the
water at the grass line. You can
also triple bag and take to a
transfer station.
We have included a couple of links
to help you understand why this is
happening. The phone # to report
any findings is 1 866 673 4781.
Please let us know your thoughts.
Article
from Lake Huron Binational
Partnership 2011 Annual Report
- See Challenges (Page 3)
Type E botulism (Clostridium botulinum) outbreaks have
occurred intermittently in the main basin of Lake Huron since
1998. These outbreaks have generally occurred in the fall and
have often resulted in mortalities of migrating water birds and
benthic fish species. The proliferation of dreissenid mussels
has been implicated in the creation of oxygenless (anoxic)
environments favoured by C. botulinum bacteria. Consumption
of mussels by round gobies has been suggested to facilitate
the transfer of toxin produced by C. botulinum bacteria up the
food chain.
An outbreak of type E botulism occurred in southern Georgian
Bay in the fall of 2010. This is the first incidence of a botulism
outbreak in Georgian Bay. Lake sturgeon mortalities were
observed in the vicinity of the mouth of the Nottawasaga
River, while gulls and common loon mortalities were also a
consequence of the outbreak. Lake sturgeon’s recent listing
as a threatened species has heightened concern over these
mortality events. The situation will be watched closely in the
coming years.
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