MADISON – State environmental officials credit strengthened state and local partnerships aimed at fighting the spread of aquatic invasive species with helping to contain several worrisome new invaders: VHS fish disease, a tiny water flea with an over-sized ability to disrupt lake ecosystems, and an invasive plant that has wreaked havoc in southern U.S. water bodies.
“Wisconsin is defined by water,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank. “The state cannot stop invasive species from entering our waters by itself. Our partners know their lakes, and also understand how lakes support Wisconsin’s tourism industry and the local and state economy. Their community-based efforts prevent species such as Eurasian water milfoil and zebra mussels from choking our waterways or crowding out our native species.”
Gov. Jim Doyle’s last budget added $1.8 million to DNR’s $1.5 million aquatic invasive species grant program, more than doubling the available grant money to support local efforts. He also added nine positions to the DNR conservation warden force to serve as water guards. [EDITOR’S NOTE: See related story in this week’s DNR Weekly News on Water Guards.]
“In 2008 we found no new lakes with VHS, no new waters with spiny water fleas, and the invasive plant hydrilla has apparently been eliminated from the Marinette County pond where it was growing,” Frank said. “We think that reflects the efforts of growing partnerships among counties, tribes, local communities, citizen volunteers and the state to keep Wisconsin lakes and streams healthy and free of invasive species.”
Paid and volunteer watercraft inspectors logged a record number of hours at boat landings this year, inspecting more than 50,000 boats and educating more than 100,000 people. This year also saw a dramatic increase in the grant funds available from the DNR to help local communities fight aquatic invasive species. And a new DNR program, the Water Guards, brought on board nine deputy conservation wardens to work exclusively on education and enforcement of laws to prevent the spread of invasive species and VHS.
While aquatic invasive species cause more damage in some places than in others, everywhere they spread they can crowd out native species, which in turn can have an impact on fish and other aquatic life that depend on them for food and habitat. They can also interfere with recreation, as Eurasian water-milfoil and Hydrilla can when thick mats of these plants tangle in boat propellers. The most common way these invaders spread from lake to lake is in a live well, bilge water, or by clinging to a boat or trailer bound for another water.
Julia Solomon, who coordinates aquatic invasive species outreach for the DNR and UW-Extension, says that boaters and anglers deserve much of the credit for slowing the spread of key aquatic invaders in 2008.
“Over 90 percent of boaters report that they clean their boats and drain water from their equipment when they leave a lake. That’s great news, since the main way that that aquatic invasive species spread from lake to lake is by hitching a ride on boats, boat trailers and gear,” she says.
A recent statewide UW-Badger poll (exit DNR) revealed similar statistics, and indicated that boaters and anglers are also doing a good job in taking some of the steps required to stop the spread of VHS fish disease, but could improve on some of those steps.
The news for 2008 wasn’t all good. The invasive plant Eurasian water-milfoil, which forms thick mats at the water’s surface that interfere with boating and fishing, was found in 13 new waters and zebra mussels were found in five.
“Every new lake with an invasive species is one lake too many, but we’re holding the line against these invaders,” Bode says. “The number of new Eurasian water-milfoil findings is down again this year, even though there are more source waters. For zebra mussels, research shows that more than 400 of our lakes are vulnerable to their invasion, so finding them in only five new waters is promising.”
Other bad news, however, was the discovery earlier this month of invasive Asian carp were confirmed in Wisconsin waters of the Mississippi River—further upstream than they have previously been documented.
Several species of potentially invasive plants -- yellow floating heart, water lettuce, and water hyacinth -- also were found this summer in isolated ponds in southeastern Wisconsin. Solomon says the discovery of these new invasive plants points out the need for people who have backyard ponds and water gardens to landscape with care, choosing native species when possible and never releasing water garden specimens into natural waterbodies.
The bottom line, says Solomon, is that the growing partnership to fight invasive species is making progress but individual actions make the big difference. “Whether it’s cleaning your boat after a day on the water, properly handling leftover bait, or using native water plants in your pond, there are things we all must do to keep our lakes and rivers healthy.”
Prevention Steps for Boaters and Anglers
- Inspect boat, trailer and equipment and remove plants, animals and mud;
- Drain water from boat, motor, bilge, live wells, and bait containers;
- Don’t move live fish away from a waterbody, and
- Use leftover minnows only under certain conditions.
- Landscape with native plants when possible;
- Buy your plants from a reputable supplier whose stock you trust;
- Inspect plant orders for unwanted “hitchhikers,” and;
- Never release plants, fish or exotic pets into natural waters.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Bode (608) Julia Solomon (608)
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