Zebra mussel infested boat stopped at Ontario inspection station
Monday, May 8, 2017
ONTARIO, Ore – A 41-foot yacht with Zebra mussels attached was
intercepted at the Ontario Watercraft Inspection station last week. The
boat came from Harrison Bay, Tennessee which is infested with the
invasive mussels.
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| Zebra mussels were attached to this yacht from Tennessee |
Earlier this spring, standing water was found on a boat
from Quagga mussel infested Lake Havasu, Arizona. That boat was
inspected ....
and decontaminated at the Ashland inspection station.
“Standing water may not sound like a big problem, but
when it comes from a water body infested with Quagga or Zebra mussels,
it spells trouble,” said Rick Boatner, ODFW’s Invasive Species Wildlife
Integrity Coordinator.
Boatner explained this standing water can have
microscopic veliger – the larva stage – of mussels that can live
several days in water trapped in a bilge or live well. This stresses the
importance of draining and drying all standing water from your
watercraft. An adult mussel can live on a boat up to 30 days depending
on humidity and temperature.
All watercraft entering Oregon must stop at an open
watercraft inspection station. This includes non-motorized boats such as
stand up paddle boards, surfboards, kayaks and canoes. Stations are located in Ashland, Gold Beach, Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and Ontario. Failure to stop could result in a $110 fine.
In addition to Quagga and Zebra mussels, inspectors look
for aquatic plants and New Zealand mudsnails. Boat owners always need
to practice ‘Clean, Drain, Dry’ before launching their boat:
- Clean the boat completely, pulling off any plant material, animals or mud. Drain – completely drain any areas that could hold standing water by pulling all drain plugs and soaking up any standing water.
- Dry – allow the boat to dry before launching again.
- Anglers should also clean and disinfect their waders, boots and fishing gear to prevent spreading aquatic invasive species such as tiny New Zealand mudsnails and aquatic invasive plants.
Invasive species is one of the Key Conservation Issues
identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy as a threat to Oregon’s
native fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Invasives can also
potentially cause millions in damage to Oregon’s systems.
