The cause of a large number of dead and dying fish reported at Lake Macatawa, has been found, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Reports of the dead and dying fish at the lake, located near Holland in Ottawa County, started coming in around mid-April the DNR explained in a news release Friday.
Testing of collected fish revealed positive cases of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS).
VHS is a viral disease that affects fresh and saltwater fish. At the low level of infection, fish may not have any noticeable symptoms, according to the DNR. As the infection intensifies fish will display widespread hemorrhages throughout the body surface and within internal organs. Sick fish will often be listless, swim in circles and frequently be observed at the surface of the water.
