Pesticide application in Conneaut Creek aims to stop sea lamprey from reaching Lake Erie

Lampricides will be applied to the Conneaut Creek system in Erie and Crawford counties beginning April 23 to kill sea lamprey larvae before they grow into parasitic fish that migrate to Lake Erie and kill other fish.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a news release that its personnel will also apply lampricides to Conneaut Creek in Ashtabula County, Ohio, through May 2. The dates could change based on weather or stream conditions, the service said.

Why kill sea lamprey larvae?

The larvae live in certain Great Lakes tributaries and transform to parasitic juveniles that migrate to the Great Lakes, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Failure to kill sea lamprey larvae in streams would result in significant damage to the Great Lakes fishery.

Infested tributaries must be treated every three to five years.

How is it done?

Lampricides are metered into the stream for about 12 hours, and continually analyzed at predetermined sites to ensure proper concentrations are maintained as they are carried downstream, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Sea lamprey art:Young North East artist wins national award

Will it hurt humans?

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency in 2003 concluded that the lampricides pose no unreasonable risk to the general human population and the environment when applied at concentrations necessary to control larval sea lampreys, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

More than 95% of lampricide residues are eliminated from fish one day after treatment and there are no EPA restrictions for consumption of fish caught from treated waters, the service said. However, the news release said that fish caught during lampricide treatment should be filleted to further reduce exposure to lampricides.

Outdoors:Lack of snow, rain hampered annual steelhead run in Erie, here's why

For more information, call 800-472-9212 or visit www.glfc.org/pubs/factsheets/FACT%204A_HR.pdf.

Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@timesnews.com.