Beware of stowaways: State Dept. of Agriculture urges boaters to watch for invasive species
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) warns people to watch for any invasive species that may be hitchhiking on watercraft this spring.
Cole Morrison, section manager of ISDA's invasive species, noxious weeds, and grasshopper/Mormon crickets division, said aquatic invasive species are often brought in on boats coming into Idaho's waters from out of state.
Morrison said even a handful of Quagga mussels, Zebra Mussels, Asian clams, or New Zealand mud snails can cause devastating problems for Idaho's economy and ecosystem.
"They don't have any natural predators or natural controls in the way of diseases that might suppress the population here, so they come in and they reproduce out of control," said Morrison. "...And then even once these things die... they will still remain. Even though they're dead, they're still going to cause problems. That stops up water supply, and that's a huge concern for Idaho agriculture, our partners at Idaho Power, [and] they have impacts on our ecosystem."
Morrison said Quagga mussels pose a particular set of problems by filtering natural waterways and making them uninhabitable for native fish and plant life, and even causing algae blooms, which make water hazardous for humans and pets.
But the ISDA says simple boat maintenance, like pumping bilges and ballasts and inspecting fishing gear, can stop the spread of invasive species.
"If we make sure that all of our boats are clean, drained and dry, we're going to do go a long way to make sure that none of these guys are moving around," said Morrison.
The ISDA is manning boat check stations around Idaho to catch aquatic critters coming from out of state before they make it to Idaho waters. Boaters are required by law to stop at check stations, and ISDA agents will inspect and wash boats for free.
For more information on invasive species, boat check stations, and Idaho laws about watercraft inspections, you can visit the ISDA's Invasive Species of Idaho website.
