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.