The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced plans to resume sea lamprey control efforts at Seneca Lake next week, targeting parasitic predators that threaten popular fish species. The treatment, set for Oct. 16 and 17, will focus on applying a selective pesticide to critical waterways in Schuyler and Yates counties, officials said.
The DEC will deploy Bayluscide, a lampricide designed to kill larval sea lampreys, on Catharine Creek Canal from Montour Falls Marina to the lake’s mouth and a 10-acre section of the Dresden Delta at the Keuka Outlet mouth. The application aims to reduce lamprey populations that have escaped earlier treatments this year, improving the survival of fish species such as Atlantic salmon, lake trout, and rainbow trout.
The sea lamprey is a parasitic fish that preys on these species, leading to higher mortality rates among the lake’s prized fish. DEC officials emphasized the importance of this control program, noting that without intervention, sea lamprey infestations could significantly impact the health and size of these fish populations.
“By effectively controlling sea lampreys, we’re able to protect the ecosystem and maintain the balance of native fish species,” a DEC spokesperson said.
The lampricide, Bayluscide, has been widely used in other water bodies, including the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, and was last applied to Catharine Creek Canal in 2021. While lethal to larval sea lampreys, it poses minimal risks to most other aquatic organisms, the DEC said, though some minor mortality of fish and aquatic invertebrates is expected.
As a precaution, the State Department of Health is advising against using water from the treatment zones for certain activities during and after the application. For two days following the treatment, residents are asked to avoid bathing, swimming, and fishing in the affected areas. Drinking, cooking, and washing dishes with lake water from these zones is discouraged for four days, while fish from the treated areas may contain traces of Bayluscide for up to 14 days.
Signs will be posted around the treatment zones to notify the public of these temporary restrictions, and drinking water will be provided to those in affected areas upon request. The DEC has conducted outreach to local landowners and residents to ensure they are informed about the upcoming lampricide application.
The precise schedule of the lampricide application is subject to weather conditions, and residents with concerns or questions are encouraged to contact the DEC for more information.
This treatment is part of the DEC’s broader effort to protect fish populations in Seneca Lake, one of New York’s largest Finger Lakes, known for its recreational fishing opportunities.
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