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PARK RIDGE, N.J. (AP) — The first day of trout fishing season in New Jersey was quiet in some parts of northern New Jersey, and a recent outbreak of a disease among the fish could be the reason.
The state Department of Environmental Protection said last month that tests confirmed the presence of furunculosis in brook trout at the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Warren County. That prompted the state to euthanize more than 100,000 trout.
The outbreak also forced a change in the way the state stocks waterways. The state fish and wildlife division told The Record (http://bit.ly/1lIMoG9) that waters where wild fish spawn naturally won't be stocked, to reduce any risk of spreading the disease. However, some waterways that are too warm or polluted for trout to survive year-round were stocked with fish for the first time.
The disease isn't a threat to humans.
On Saturday, the newspaper reported, hardly any anglers were spotted along the Hackensack River and at other popular fishing holes.
"I can't believe there's nobody here," Dylan Cordes said from his spot in Park Ridge. "This place is usually a zoo on opening day. This is a really weird year."
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Information from: The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.), http://www.northjersey.com
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