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[RalphH]

Whirling Disease is suspected in a radical decline in Rainbow trout in the Crowsnest River. I have fished this river as well. There are Brown tout in the system below the falls:

Whirling disease in the Crowsnest River: an emerging threat to wild salmonids in Alberta

https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/cjfas-2020-0484#:~:text=In%20the%20Crowsnest%20River%2C%20previous,declines%20in%20the%20Crowsnest%20River.

[clarki]

I’m planning a 5 day stream fishing trip to an E. Kootenay drainage this summer and I’m re-thinking my bio-security actions.

My gear may not dry overnight so I’ve read that a 10% disinfectant solution is effective. Bleach is not recommended for fishing gear, but Quat Plus appears to be.

Admittedly, bio-security hasn’t been on my radar the past couple of years but I think a basin, spray bottle and a jug of Quat Plus will be part of my packing list this year.

[RalphH]

I'm not sure disinfecting your gear is necessary or even recommended at this point. Information on line is rather sketchy and inconsistent. Some info out of Oregon where Whirling disease is present but not endemic, suggests cleaning off mud and silt and drying your gear should be sufficient. A good rinse with a spray hose and standard chlorinated water may be enough. I'd also suggest that any non bleach household cleaner should work.

The recommendations from the Province are here:  https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/plants-animals-ecosystems/fish/aquatic-species/aquatic-invasives/whirling-disease#preventing

Also want to note the most at risk species are Rainbow Trout/Steelhead and sockeye. Other species like cutthroat, brook trout and chinook are moderately at risk while the parasite poses a lower risk to most other pacific salmon species, bull trout and dolly varden.

There is a list susceptibility of salmonids at:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonid_susceptibility_to_whirling_disease