Buck Anderson posted on August 29, 2007 18:43 :: 2432 Views
Wisconsin enters one of its busiest boating weekends of the year with 40 percent of boaters surveyed at landings this summer saying they use their boats frequently and move them from lake to lake.
Such “lake hopping” can be part of the fun of boating and fishing, but unless these boaters clean their boats every time they leave a launch and take other prevention steps, they may accidentally spread aquatic invasive species and fish diseases to new lakes or rivers, says Julia Solomon, who leads aquatic invasive species outreach efforts for the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
“We want everyone to enjoy this last big fishing and boating weekend of the summer, but to recognize that moving their boats from one water to another increases their risk of bringing unwanted hitchhikers like zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil along for the ride,” Solomon says.
“All boaters, especially those who move from lake to lake, need to take appropriate prevention steps every time they leave a boat landing and remind others to do the same.”
The major way that aquatic invasive species get spread to new inland waters is by clinging to boat trailers, boating or fishing equipment, or being carried in bilge water or live wells. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia, a new fish disease, also spreads through the movement of water from infected waters and through anglers moving live infected fish from one water body to another. To help prevent possible spread of the disease, angles should buy minnows from licensed Wisconsin bait dealers or catch their own and use it to fish in the water from which it was caught.
Last week, DNR staff confirmed that zebra mussels have become established in Lake Ripley in Jefferson County, and the previous week, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced the discovery of an aggressive invasive plant, hydrilla, in a manmade pond in Marinette County.
While the vast majority of Wisconsin waters don’t have zebra mussels or Eurasian water milfoil, two of the most problematic invasive species, Solomon stresses the importance of boaters taking the prevention steps wherever they boat. Wisconsin has 15,081 lakes and 44,000 miles of streams that flow year-round; close to 500 inland waters have Eurasian water milfoil and about 100 have zebra mussels.
“We can’t monitor every lake in the state, and unfortunately, the lake you boat on may have invasive species that just have been discovered yet,” she says. “Because of this, we urge all boaters to make a habit of cleaning their boats and equipment every time they leave a boat landing to keep Wisconsin waters and fish healthy.”
Every time boaters, sailors, anglers, or paddlers leave a launch they should:
- Inspect boats, trailers and equipment and remove visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud.
- Drain water from boats, motors, bilges, live wells, and bait containers.
- Not move live fish, including minnows, from one water to another.
- Dispose of leftover bait in the trash, not in the water or on land.
- Wash your boat and equipment with high pressure or hot water, or let it dry for five days
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Julia Solomon (608) 267-3531 or Ron Martin (608) 266-9270
Buck Anderson is the President/CEO of Jive Media Group LLC (The company that owns JustNorth Outdoors).
In addition to enjoying camping, fishing, hunting, and golf he is a well known Internet buisness training and web design coach specializing in DotNetNuke Open Source Portal technologies.
If you are interested in developing a website like JustNorth Outdoors, for your business niche, visit Buck at http://dnnprofessor.com.
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