Reference your post in the Loch Watten / St johns thread regarding disinfecting of float tubes.
Quote "Re: "the tube's in dry dock" ...... this is something that we need to think about folks I would suggest that we need to put some thought in to using our float tube on more than one water and be careful not to spread parasites etc. A float tube can transfer these problems just as easily as nets and waders
Do any of the forum members currently take any precautions with this?"
I know you are proud of the quality of your fish and fishery, “quite rightly so” and can see where you are coming from with regard to your question.
Many fisheries have chemical baths for nets etc. or foot dips for anglers to help prevent transference of diseases or parasites. And you provide dedicated landing nets for anglers to use when at Haddo. If they are / were available at fisheries I will / would happily use the facility to help prevent any spread of pathogens. As would all true anglers as we want to preserve the sport we have.
Not having been fishing out of this country I can say I do not regularly disinfect any of my "tackle" prior to going fishing in Scotland. I don’t think many people do, unless specifically requested by fishery owners or have been fishing in any foreign country. Most Salmon beats request you fill in a form to declare that if you have been fishing out with the UK that you have your “tackle” disinfected and some local tackle shops provide this service at a cost. This is mainly to prevent the introduction of invasive non-native species i.e. GS parasite and such like.
I could only find two tackle shops in the Aberdeenshire area that provide such a service and were Somers Fishing Tackle and the Orvis shop at Banchory. Didn’t find out how much this cost.
There has been recently a major imitative launched by the River and Fisheries Trust to combat the spread on invasive “Alien” Species. See attached link:-
http://www.rafts.org.uk/FileLibrary/Biosecurity%20Planning%20Project/RAFTS%20Biosecurity%20Press%20Release%20210509.pdfI know recently in England that coarse fisheries have been having a problem with the KHV virus of carp and the fishery owners quite rightly are requesting all anglers to disinfect their tackle prior to fishing different venues.
Pathogens that need to be killed by disinfection of tackle include IPN (Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis) and ISA (Infectious Salmon Anaemia viruses) of salmonoids, carp dropsy and KHV ( Koi Herpes Virus) of carps, the BKD bacterium and the gyrodactylus salaris parasite. All of these can cause serious diseases in wild fishes as well as fisheries or fish farms. All can be spread with fish mucus , blood or scales, parasites on tackle or waders etc.
I have had a look into this and really to be 100% "Bio-secure" all your tackle - rods, lines, reels , leader, flies, boots, waders , fins ,float tubes ( anything that gets wet )would have to be disinfected when moving from one Loch or fishery to another. It is also recommended that all anglers disinfect their fishing equipment once a year as a minimum, even if the only ever fish the same venue.
Chemical listed are as follows: - minimum soak time of 10 minutes.
1) Virkon ® Aquatic 1% solution
2) Wescodyne 1% solution
3) Sodium Chloride 3% solution ( Common salt )
4) Sodium hydroxide 0.2%
Some other options are listed on various gyrodactylus salaris declaration forms I have seen. They include:-
1) Either that or all the tackle etc would have to be completely dried at a minimum of 20 degrees c for two a minimum of 2 days.
2) Heated to above 60 degrees C for minimum of 1 hour.
3) Deep freezing to -20 degrees C for 24 hours
The only disinfectant that is recommended in all countries with tackle disinfection regulations is Virkon (R) Aquatic, which was specially formulated for destroying fish pathogens. Note the word regulations; in some countries you won’t get your “tackle” past the airport security unless you have a valid certificate of disinfection from a vet.
Extract from Bradan Limited website “ The complete biosecurity solution” below.
"The disinfectant must be freshly made up as a 1% solution. This is best achieved by adding Virkon (R) Aquatic tablets to " fresh" water in a plastic bucket, or other container, at a rate of two tablets per litre (2 pints) of fresh water. Once the tablets have dissolved, the "TACKLE" ( reels, lines, nets, waders, flies ,float tube) should be immersed for in the disinfectant. Rods should be wiped down with a wet cloth, well soaked in the 1% solution. After immersion for five minutes, the tackle can be rinsed in "tap" water and wiped down with a dry cloth. Reels should be immersed in fresh tap water after disinfection to ensure all disinfectant is removed from the mechanism and thoroughly dried. Note Rubber gloves should be worn when handling the 1% disinfectant.
Provided the footbath retains its reddish colour it is still strongly virucidal and bactericidal. Once it becomes greyish brown then its activity is failing and it should be emptied cleaned and reloaded with fresh 1% Virkon® Aquatic."
Would imagine this would be a time consuming and possibly costly exercise and unless readily available at fisheries, at minimal cost, I could not see individuals doing this unless it became a fishery rule as it has currently for most rivers only “IF” you have been fishing foreign waters.
Could you see this moving from “angling outside the UK”, to “angling any different venue / fishery /river within the UK”?
Are you thinking of making this a fishery rule for Haddo?
Are you thinking of providing a disinfection service for all “tackle” at Haddo?
Would any of these chemicals harm the float tubes?
Does anyone reularily disinfect their tackle or know of anyone who does?
Lloyd
