Ontario's VHS Management Zone

To slow the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources established a VHS Management Zone.

The VHS Management Zone contains the VHS virus-positive waters of lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron (including Georgian Bay) and their connecting waterways and tributaries up to the first barrier impassable to fish (excluding fishways).

In the VHS Management Zone, the Ministry of Natural Resources has taken additional steps to slow the spread of VHS, including:

• Restrictions on where bait fish are transported
• Restrictions on the collection of walleye, trout and salmon eggs from virus-positive waters, including a requirement for egg disinfection according to the ministry’s protocol, and restrictions on where stocking may occur based on the risk of spreading VHS.

The area in pink shows the location of Ontario's VHS Management Zone.

High resolution PDF (1.4 MB)

For a detailed map of the VHS Management Zone in your area, please contact your local MNR office.

For reporting fish die-offs, call:
1-866-929-0994