Why Boat Inspections? All
water craft are potential vectors for
spreading aquatic nuisance species
Voluntary boat and trailer inspections, particularly by boaters
yourselves, are an essential part of preventing the inadvertent
transfer of alien species from one water body to the next. Many
kinds of aquatic pests, including both plants and animals, are
easily carried by trailered boats. Zebra mussels are especially
prone to this kind of transport due to their ability to attach
to hard objects. Zebra mussels create a mass of sticky threads
(called a bysus) that they use to glue themselves to practically
any hard surface: boat hulls, anchor chains, motors, wheel wells,
rocks, wood, beer cans, crayfish, and native bivalves for example.
If you see zebra mussels in the wild, you'll often find them attached
in bunches or clusters, but they may not appear this way on your
boat. In fact, it is possible that you may not see young zebra
mussels with your naked eye. You should, however, be able to feel
them by running your hand along the hull of your boat. A rough
texture is a clue that zebra mussels may be attached to your boat.
These should be removed with a power sprayer before launching
your boat in other waters. The
photo above is a standard sign used at boat launches by the Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources.
Click here to see a larger view.
What
to Check?
Checking obvious places may not be enough. Zebra Mussels and other
Aquatic Nuisance Species can hide anywhere on your boat or trailer.
Thus, a thorough inspection after every outing is necessary, especially
if you transport your boat to more than one water body.
If your boat or trailer harbors Aquatic Nuisance Species such
as the Zebra Mussel, you need to know this BEFORE they have been
spread to new water bodies. Please help us protect the areas which
have not yet been infested. Check your boat and trailer every
time, before you transport your boat.
For more information, please see our video
library for streaming videos that explain why and how you
should inspect and clean your boat before transporting it to a
new water body.
Development of this web site is supported by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service through a partnership with the University of Texas - Arlington and contains information and resources derived from a variety of other partners and sources. Materials on this web site are free for public use and are not intended to be used for profit.