State wildlife officials say they've found kidney disease in some rainbow trout being raised at a hatchery in northern New Mexico.
The discovery has prompted the New Mexico Game and Fish Department to remove more than 160,000 small trout from raceways at Lisboa Springs Hatchery near Pecos.
Regular testing in February turned up the bacterial disease. All of the trout are being destroyed to ensure full decontamination.
The affected area of the hatchery will be drained, disinfected, restocked and more tests done to ensure cleanliness before it's returned to full production. This process may take up to two years to complete.
Officials say the disease is naturally present in the environment and can be caught by fish due to a variety of circumstances.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.