PITTSBURGH — The state Fish and Boat Commission on Tuesday imposed a temporary ban on taking live fish out of the Lake Erie watershed.

The ban is designed protect the health of the region's fishery by reducing the potential spread of fish diseases, said commission spokesman Dan Tredinnick.

Of particular concern is viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS, a virus that has been detected in the Great Lakes system in the last several years. The virus has been linked to several fish kills and some fish believed to carry the virus are used as bait fish.

The virus poses no risk to humans but causes internal bleeding in fish.

PITTSBURGH — Garrett Giemont was hired Wednesday as the Pittsburgh Steelers' strength and conditioning coach, replacing Chet Fuhrman.Fuhrman, the last remaining member of former Steelers coach Bill Cowher's first staff in 1992, was not retained by new coach Mike Tomlin.Giemont was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' strength and conditioning coordinator from 2003-05, when Tomlin was the Bucs' secondary coach. Giemont also worked eight seasons with the Oakland Raiders.

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff retired Wednesday as the Oakland Raiders' wide receivers coach after spending more than three decades as a player and coach for the franchise.Biletnikoff, an Erie native who is second in team history with 589 career catches, spent the past 18 seasons on the Raiders' coaching staff, the last 10 as receivers coach.