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NEW 2010 Aquatic Invasive Species Boat Decal program
Buy your decal before launching your watercraft 
Based on direction from the Wyoming legislature, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has implemented emergency regulations to address the aquatic invasive species threat. Under this regulation, all watercraft using Wyoming waters are required to display an Aquatic Invasive Species decal. Costs for the decal under the emergency regulations are $10 for motorized watercraft registered in Wyoming, $30 for motorized watercraft registered in other states, $5 for non-motorized watercraft owned by Wyoming residents and $15 for non-motorized watercraft owned by non-residents. Inflatables 10 feet or less in length are exempt. Decals go on sale on the WGFD website April 15 and at license agents May 17.
Check for Infested Waters list - or - map
WGF Commission will consider proposed Aquatic Invasive Species Regulation
What are Aquatic Invasive Species?
 Aquatic invasive species like quagga mussels and zebra mussels are small organisms that could have huge impacts for Wyoming's waters, boaters and anglers. They can ruin fisheries, clog cooling systems in motorboats, foul hulls and ruin equipment. These organisms have not been found in Wyoming yet, but are present in several bordering states like Utah, Colorado and Nebraska. Help protect Wyoming's waters by making sure you don't move a mussel.
What are these mussels?
Both are closely related, invasive, freshwater bivalve (mollusk) species that encrust hard surfaces.
Where do they come from?
These species came to North America from the Black and Caspian Sea Drainages in Eurasia.
What size are they?
Larvae are microscopic and adults may be up to two inches long. They are usually found in clusters.
Why are they called "zebra" and "quagga" mussels?
Both species are sometimes referred to as zebra mussels because they both have light and dark alternating stripes. Quagga mussels are actually a distinct, but similar, species named after an extinct animal related to zebras.
If you use water or electricity, you do not want exotic mussels introduced into your state. These species can have widespread impacts on power plants, municipalities, irrigation systems and other water users. They impede water delivery and increase maintenance costs by clogging pipes, pumps, turbines and filtration systems, costs that are all passed on to the user.
Fisheries are destroyed by the presence of these exotic filter-feeding mussels. They remove plankton from the water. Plankton are the primary food source for forage fish and forage fish are the food of sport fisheries. For example, the lake trout population in Lake Ontario has declined by 95 percent in the past 10 years due to a crash in the food chain caused by exotic mussels.
Aquatic Invasive Species Decal
Where does the money for the decals go?
Fees collected for the AIS decals will fund the AIS program along with a General Fund Appropriation. These fees will pay for programs to educate the public about AIS, prevention efforts to keep AIS from being introduced into Wyoming such as watercraft inspections, enforcement, and implementation of AIS regulations.
Where can I get my AIS decal?
Decals go on sale on the WGFD website April 15 and at license agents May 17. You may only obtain AIS permits from automated license selling agent locations. A list of automated license selling locations can be downloaded here.
For more information on the AIS decals, visit the Frequently Asked Questions.
Watercraft Inspections
Inspections - What to expect
Now that you have your AIS decal what can you expect to find while boating in Wyoming? 
- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will conduct watercraft inspections at major waters around the state on a rotating basis.
- These watercraft inspections will be marked with signs and all persons transporting watercraft shall stop at these check stations.
- Inspections will consist of an authorized inspector asking a few questions to determine the risk your watercraft poses of transporting AIS.
- If you have completed the self-check and are drained, cleaned and dried, you can expect your inspection to go quickly, an estimated 3 to 5 minutes at the most. Self-check forms are available on this website, at boat ramps, and at WGFD offices. The majority of Wyoming boaters can expect this low-risk inspection.
- If you are determined to be high-risk, the inspection is more thorough and may take 10 to 30 minutes depending on the type and size of watercraft. Thorough high-risk inspections are critical to keeping AIS out of Wyoming.
- Once your watercraft has passed inspections, you are free to launch your boat.
- If you do not encounter an AIS check station on your route of travel, complete the self-check form to make sure you are not transporting any aquatic invasive species, then proceed to launch.
- If your watercraft has been on any water known to be infested (list - or - map) with AIS within the last 30 days, please contact your WGFD regional office to schedule an inspection proir to launching the watercraft.
If you are a boater, angler, or aquatic recreational user, then you can benefit from a short, on-line educational training designed to teach you four simple steps that you can follow to Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Click here to begin the online training!
Watercraft Decontaminations
Decontaminations - What are they?
If your watercraft is determined to need decontamination an authorized inspector will thoroughly spray the exterior and flush the interior compartments with scalding (140 degrees F) water to remove and kill any AIS that may be on the watercraft. After decontamination, the watercraft will be inspected again to ensure the decontamination was successful. Watercraft that is heavily infested with AIS may require a quarantine to kill any AIS that may not have been killed during decontamination. Very few boats will need to undergo decontamination.
For more information please view the Frequently Asked Questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources
Self-Check
Information
Web sites
Videos
- Don't Move a Mussel: produced by Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
- Don't Move a Mussel, Part I
- Don't Move a Mussel, Part II
Order the DVD from PSMFC.
News
AIS Summit
- Presentations from the AIS summit on March 16, 2010 can be viewed online.
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