Rising water temperatures in Estonian bodies of water are contributing to the spread of fish parasites
Rising water temperatures in Estonian water bodies are creating more favorable conditions for heat-loving fish parasites, posing a threat to cold-water salmonid populations. Young trout in rivers where water temperatures have been altered by human activity are suffering the most from this combination, according to ERR News.
Researchers from the Estonian University of Life Sciences, during an expedition to Greenland and the Faroe Islands,discovered that the parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, which causes a dangerous and currently incurable kidney disease in salmonids, has spread much farther north than previously thought. This parasite was first detected in Estonia nearly 30 years ago, but the exact time of its arrival in the country is unknown.
Antti Vasemägi, a professor of fish genetics and genomics, noted that the parasite has been spreading rapidly in Iceland over the past few decades, a trend linked to rising water temperatures. According to him, both heat-loving parasites and fish that prefer warmer water are currently thriving in Estonia.
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River temperatures, in particular, are affected by dams, river channel straightening, and the clearing of trees along the banks. According to Vasemägi, recent studies indicate that some parasites from more southern regions are reaching Estonia along with migratory birds. A new project funded by the Estonian Research Council will study the spread of parasites associated with cormorants and the possible increase in their numbers in coastal waters.
At the same time, parasites are found in all fish species in Estonia, and fish usually manage to cope with them. Only a very small proportion of fish parasites pose a danger to humans—primarily if the fish is not properly prepared. Vasemägi advises against eating raw fish and roe; fish that has been sufficiently cooked, salted, or dried poses no danger.
