Whirling Disease

Whirling disease is caused by a parasite that attacks the spinal cartilage of trout and salmon. In developing young fish, this affects their ability to swim as their equilibrium goes awry. This is where the whirling disease comes into play as young fish will swim in circles unable to eat. Eventually this cycle emaciates the fish.

Whirling disease arrived in the United States from Europe in the 1950's from hatchery practices. In 1998, it was found in waters in New Mexico. Brown trout, another European import, have evolved with this disease and thus are not affected. Hatchery rainbow trout and Rio Grande cutthroat trout are highly susceptible and have shown drastic population declines when waters are infected.

On the Santa Fe National Forest, whirling disease has been found in Rio Cebolla, Jack's Creek, and Pecos River. Inevitably, the parasite will spread. The amount of infection is up to all of us. Stream visitors can do their best, by cleaning all gear, including wading boots and fly rod before entering a new stream. This practice should be performed when leaving a stream, 300 feet from water's edge if using biodegradable detergent. If you do it at home, make sure you are not draining into a local waterway. The transporting of fish by individuals to different streams should be refrained.

The Santa Fe Forest fisheries program will continue to work hard to lower and maintain sediment delivery to natural levels. This will keep whirling disease localized. In addition, with the help of New Mexico Game and Fish, we will expand the range of Rio Grande Cutthroat trout, strengthening the gene pool and the population's resilience to disease.