It used to be that a VHS was a video home system that could tape or copy movies and other stuff from the television.

Well, that certainly has changed. VHS recorders have gone the way of LP records. That’s "Long Playing" for those who are many years younger than me.

Wait a minute; my grandson hadn’t even heard of a record. If it’s not a DVD or CD, he has no idea.

Derek often will visit our house and have his grandmother load something on his I-pod. That’s certainly a long way from an 8-track or a cassette tape. I could go on and on with these terms, but let’s face it, we’re in an accelerated race in the world of technology.

Today, VHS is an acronym for viral hemorrhagic septicemia _ a disease that affects fish in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and Conesus Lake. It is a virus that spreads in several methods, including moving fish from one body of water to another. The disease also can be spread by bird activity, ballast water discharge, natural fish movement, and even recreational boating and fishing.

VHS has caused many fish to die in several affected bodies of water. In 2005, a vast number of freshwater drum died from the disease in Lake Ontario.

Last year, many other species of fish died in the Great Lakes. Muskies, pike, perch and walleye are only a few of the species of fish that have been affected. There is no known cure for the disease, so the possible impact could be staggering.

Currently, the Department of Environmental Conservation is trying to contain this disease to the already affected waters by controlling the use and transportation of bait fish, but other precautions must be taken.

Boaters and anglers are encouraged to abide by a few helpful guidelines:

Do not transport fish from one body of water to another.[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Only release bait fish in the body of water from which it was taken.

Remove all mud, aquatic plants and animals from gear, boats, motors and trailers before leaving a body of water.

Drain your live well before leaving a body of water, disinfect it with a 10 percent chlorine/water solution and rinse it well before using it again.

Inform your friends. It will take the cooperation from all anglers to help control the spread of this potentially devastating disease.

Scientists and biologists have concluded that VHS poses no human health threat, but we are advised to follow all fish health emergency regulations.

Currently, there are several pages of health advisories in the 2006-2008 Fishing Regulations booklet that is distributed by the DEC, but these advisories do not include anything concerning VHS. Therefore, you are urged to review the current emergency health regulations on the DEC’s website, http://www.dec.state.ny.us.

It’s scary enough when you read the list of waters in this state that contain health advisories. It just keeps getting worse. Not even a GPS can find a safe place to fish anymore.

Rick Brockway writes a weekly outdoors column for The Daily Star. E-mail him at robrockway@hotmail.com.