Virus Found in Lake Champlain Northern Pike
(Host) The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is warning anglers not to eat northern pike from Lake Champlain that show symptoms of a viral disease. Officials say ice fisherman first noticed pike and muskellenge with strange lesions on their bodies.
Tests have confirmed the disease is esocid lymphosarcoma, a naturally occurring disease. It's marked by gray, red or pink tumors that can be as large as an orange.
The disease is not known to infect humans, but officials are still asking people not to consume sick fish. And anglers are reminded that it is illegal to transfer most fish species from one body of water to another.