On Sunday, June 27, watercraft inspection stations in eastern Montana intercepted two boats entering the state carrying invasive mussels, making it the 35th and 36th mussel-fouled boats intercepted this year. This surpasses the total number of 35 mussel-fouled boats intercepted in 2020.
Shortly after noon on Sunday, the Wibaux station found mussels on a used inboard ballast boat that had been recently purchase in Michigan and was destined for Billings. Inspectors decontaminated the hull and locked the boat. AIS staff in Billings will flush the ballast tanks before removing the lock from the boat. The Wibaux station is operated by the Garfield County Conservation District.
