maple sap line sanitizing

[Ed Hank]

has anyone ever heard of maple producers causing fish kills when sanitizing sap lines at the end of maple season?

The reason I ask, a buddy and I celebrate the first day of trout by fishing a once very productive class a brook trout stream. The past couple of years, the productivity has gone down substantially and seems to have coincided with the appearance of those awful looking sap lines. It seems that it is recommended to sanitize the sap lines with a 1:20 ratio of bleach to water and bleach is no bueno.

Is there a test that can be done to see if the remaining fish have been exposed to bleach?

 

[tomgamber]

has anyone ever heard of maple producers causing fish kills when sanitizing sap lines at the end of maple season?

The reason I ask, a buddy and I celebrate the first day of trout by fishing a once very productive class a brook trout stream. The past couple of years, the productivity has gone down substantially and seems to have coincided with the appearance of those awful looking sap lines. It seems that it is recommended to sanitize the sap lines with a 1:20 ratio of bleach to water and bleach is no bueno.

Is there a test that can be done to see if the remaining fish have been exposed to bleach?

Probably but you'd have to kill the fish. Of course the belly up test is more reliable.

 

[Cznymph]

I have a fair bit of those “awful looking” sap lines.

There are several methods and sanitizers used in disinfecting lines, some folks don’t do it at all. I don’t use bleach because the squirrels are attracted to it.

However, all these cleaning methods result in the sanitizer solution ending up in the bulk collection tank and not discharged Willy nilly into your favorite brook trout stream.

 

[Ed Hank]

I have a fair bit of those “awful looking” sap lines.

There are several methods and sanitizers used in disinfecting lines, some folks don’t do it at all. I don’t use bleach because the squirrels are attracted to it.

However, all these cleaning methods result in the sanitizer solution ending up in the bulk collection tank and not discharged Willy nilly into your favorite brook trout stream.

But where does it go after it hits the collection tank? And what is used to disinfect the tank?

 

[lycoflyfisher]

It certainly could be possible if bleach or other chemicals used are discharged to a stream. If like cznymph described, the solution is collected in a bulk tank and disposed of in an upland setting far removed from a stream, impact would be minimal. I have seen many sap collection tanks at low spots yo use gravity and have seen plenty near streams.

You could express your concerns for the wild trout population to the appropriate PFBC Regional office and Area Fisheries Manager.

 

[Cznymph]

But where does it go after it hits the collection tank? And what is used to disinfect the tank?

The same sanitizer is used for the tank. It can be something like San-Star, H2O2, or bleach.

In my instance I allow all sanitizer to reach the bulk tank, I fill the bulk with water to dilute the sanitizer and then drain to the ground.