The following is a press release by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, posted on MontanaOutoor.com as a courtesy to our followers:
HELENA – Catastrophe averted.
The exceptional skills of inspectors at the Anaconda boat check station stopped an invasive mussel fouled wake boat from Minnesota earlier this week from potentially introducing zebra mussels into Montana waters.
The boat, which was on its way to Georgetown Lake, was transporting hundreds of zebra mussels, some attached to the boat and some attached to pieces of Eurasian watermilfoil, another invasive species, on the trailer. The boat also had ballast tanks, which never completely drain, making them a good environment for transporting mussels.
Because the boat had only been out of the water for four days, inspectors suspected that the mussels were still viable. Mussels can survive up to 30 days out of the water.
“Boats like this can ruin Montana’s waters forever,” said Tom Woolf, FWP’s aquatic invasive species (AIS) bureau chief. “This is the boat that would introduce mussels.”
The boater was unaware that he was transporting mussels. After the inspectors decontaminated the boat, it was locked to the trailer and FWP wardens responded to ensure it would not launch.
As a reminder, all watercraft entering Montana are required to be inspected for aquatic invasive species. You must obtain an inspection before launching on Montana waters. Stop at all open inspections stations you encounter. Find inspections stations here
- Boats with a ballast or bladder, such as wakeboard or wake-surfing boats, that intend to launch on Montana waters must be decontaminated before launching.
- While planning your trip to Montana, if you find you will not encounter a watercraft inspection station on your way to your destination, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alberta inspection stations fulfill the before-launch requirements of Montana.
- Stop at ALL open inspection stations you encounter in Montana where your watercraft may be re-inspected.
Always remember to clean, drain and dry.
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