Zebra mussels reported on two Minnesota lakes

Lake John has broad infestation; One zebra mussel found on Bryant Lake
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a report of zebra mussels in Lake John, in Wright County.
A citizen involved in a monitoring program reported a single zebra mussel in late September, but subsequent surveys revealed a more widespread and established infestation throughout much of the lake. The lake is not a candidate for current treatment methods because the infestation is widespread. Lake John has been added to the infested waters list. Other bodies of water connected to Lake John may also be added to the infested waters list after further assessment.
In another case, a single zebra mussel was recently reported in Bryant Lake in Eden Prairie. Three Rivers Park District staff discovered the invasive species on a settlement plate, a simple underwater detection device placed around docks and shorelines, and reported it to the DNR.
Extensive dive searches over the next several days revealed no additional zebra mussels in the lake. DNR invasive species specialist Keegan Lund said Bryant Lake will be carefully monitored the rest of this season and next year, but no treatment is necessary at this time.
The combined efforts of the DNR, lake property owners and lake users to spot and report suspected new infestations increase the chances of treating them or limiting their spread. This time of year it is especially important to check docks, lifts, and other equipment for zebra mussels. By law, docks and lifts must also dry for at least 21 days before putting them into another body of water.
“There is a common misconception that zebra mussels ‘are everywhere’ and that their spread is inevitable. The reality is, zebra mussels have been confirmed in less than two percent of Minnesota lakes, and more Minnesotans than ever before know and follow invasive species laws,” Lund said. “People spread zebra mussels, and people can prevent the spread.”
Before leaving a lake, Minnesota’s aquatic invasive species laws require boaters and anglers to:

• Clean aquatic plants and animals from watercraft.
• Drain all water by removing drain plugs and keeping plugs out while transporting watercraft.
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.

For more information on aquatic invasive species prevention and how to report a suspected infestation, visit www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquatic.

Mussel Bound: Researcher Studies Invasives' Role in Spreading Antibiotic-Resistant Genes in Lake Michigan

The millions of zebra and quagga mussels that have colonized the lake concentrate bacteria the same way discharge from wastewater treatment plants does--and provide an environment for ARGs.

January 14, 2015
By Aaron R. Conklin

By this point, we’re aware that the antibiotics and personal-care products we routinely consume to beat back our various and sundry colds and infections have filtered their way through our guts and into Wisconsin’s water supplies, where they’ve had the unintended effect of creating an increasing number of potentially dangerous strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

But what if all those pills and pink liquids aren’t the only factor contributing to the increase? What about the millions of quagga and zebra mussels that have colonized the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan?  

Supported by funding from Wisconsin Sea Grant, Dr. Krassimira Hristova, assistant professor of biology at Marquette University, is trying to sketch in another piece of the puzzle by determining how big an impact those mussels may play.

“Most studies on this topic are focusing on the clinical setting,” said Hristova. “There’s not much focus on the environment, on the freshwater ecosystem as part of the equation.”

In urban environments like Milwaukee, scientists have already identified E. coli strains resistant to as many as 11 different antibiotics. They’ve even mapped the mechanism: Heavy concentrations of bacteria contained in the lake sediment near wastewater treatment plants create a four-lane highway for a scientific phenomenon called horizontal gene transfer (HGT).  Instead of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) being passed between bacterial cells vertically through the standard process of cell division, they’re being passed through the walls of unrelated bacteria by means of close proximity.

Hristova suspects that a similar phenomenon could be taking place in the guts of the filter-feeding invasive mussels, where bacteria in lakewater concentrates in much the same way it does in the microbiome of a human gut or in the effluent from a treatment plant.

“If we see pollution in the water, do we see the same signal in the mussel gut?” Hristova asked.

To find out, Hristova, Marquette professor of biology James Maki and a research team of students spent most of last summer taking mussel samples from different locations in Lake Michigan where bacterial concentration and mussel presence were likely to be high—places like the inner and outer portions of the Milwaukee Harbor and the headwaters of the Kinnickinnick River.  They’re also taking water samples from inland lakes to compare bacterial concentrations in environments that receive different inputs of antibiotics and personal care products.

Back In the lab, it’s easy to depurinate the mussels in a water tank, effectively cleaning their guts of bacteria and creating a blank slate for controlled experiments.  Then the team can expose the mussels to a mixture of bacteria including one of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains and observe the results.

“How long does the bacteria take to populate their gut?” Hristova asked. “Does the exchange happen in the mussel microbiome, as it does with humans and animals?”

The answers to those questions could go a long way toward determining the mussels’ role in increasing the levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the lake. And could potentially fuel stricter regulations on the types of antibiotic and personal-care products we use.

Hristova’s project has definitely engaged Marquette’s undergraduate students. While only two students helped her gather samples and collect data over the summer, there are now 19 students in the Experimental Microbiology lab class involved in isolating bacteria from mussels and lake sediment and creating assays to determine antibiotic-resistant profiles.  

One of those summer students was Kylli Paavola, a senior from Dousman, Wisconsin. 

“This was my first real chance to get in a lab and get my hands dirty, she said, “A lot of what we’re doing here is really innovative.”

Paavola had been considering a career in biochemistry, but her experience in Hristova’s lab convinced her to apply for the PhD program in microbiology at UW-Madison, where she’s more likely to be able to hone what she’s learned in the lab and apply it broadly.

“I can really see the applications of this work in the medical field,” she said. “I never really realized how much bacteria there is in the lake water and on the beaches. The abundance is really shocking. Now I think about it every time I visit the beach.”

Ultimately, Hristova would like more people—including scientists and policymakers--to think about it, too.

“It’s not a single part that’s responsible for the problem we’re seeing,” said Hristova. “Every part plays a role. The real question is, how are we changing the ecosystem and what are the consequences of those changes? We’re exposed to this in the environment constantly. We bathe in this water and our kids play in it on the beach all summer long. What are we exposing them to?” 

DNR offers aquatic invasive species training to businesses

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is offering aquatic invasive species (AIS) training to owners of lake service provider businesses so they can legally work in lakes and rivers throughout the state.

Businesses such as resorts and outfitters that rent, lease or decontaminate boats and other water-related equipment are now required to attend AIS training and acquire a permit under a state law change that took effect last July. These businesses are considered lake service providers, which means that every three years they must attend training session, apply for a permit, and pay a $50 application fee to comply with Minnesota law.

“Before this change, the law applied only to businesses such as marinas, dock haulers, lawn irrigators and others who install or remove equipment from state waters for hire,” said April Rust, DNR AIS training coordinator. “The law change means many more businesses will need to attend training to learn about the threat of zebra mussels and other invasive species, and how to prevent their spread.”

Employees of lake service provider businesses – which now include boat rental businesses – also need to complete a short online training course before providing services. However, employees of businesses, such as some resorts, who only work with boats, equipment or structures that remain on their property in the same body of water are exempt from the employee training and certification.

Seventeen AIS training sessions are planned around the state. Registering for the winter and early spring sessions will give businesses time to attend training and get a permit before ice-out. Registration deadlines are one week prior to each training. To register for training, find out if the business needs a permit, or for more information, visit the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/lsp.

Pick it or Ticket...

“Pick it or Ticket.” That’s what will happen if people don’t do their part to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species, according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

DNR conservation officers and watercraft inspectors will step-up enforcement of invasive species law over the Fourth of July weekend. They will also be out educating boaters about a new law that goes into effect July 1 requiring boaters to now remove the plug and drain water before leaving any lake and river in Minnesota.

“Our lakes and rivers are too important to take for granted,” explained Larry Kramka, DNR assistant commissioner. “Boaters need to be accountable and personally responsible to prevent the further spread of aquatic invasives.”

The water draining law is intended to help prevent the spread of fish diseases such as VHS, and invasive species such as zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas that cannot be seen when free floating in the water in early life stages.
Boaters are required by law to:

• Remove aquatic plants and zebra mussels from boats and trailers.
• Drain all water, including pulling the drain plug, open water draining devises, and draining bilges and live wells.
• Drain bait buckets when exiting lakes that have been designated as infested with spiny water flea or zebra mussels. Anglers can keep unused bait when leaving infested waters if they replace the water with tap or spring.

The increased enforcement efforts over the holiday weekend will include an increased presence at public water accesses at infested waters where officers will look closely for violators of existing laws who could face fines from $50 up to $1,000.

Minnesota’s water resources are threatened by numerous aquatic invasive species such as the zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and spiny waterfleas. These species could be easily spread within the state if citizens, businesses and visitors don’t take the necessary steps to contain them.

 

The zebra mussel populations currently in Lake Mille Lacs, Alexandria chain of lakes
(Le Homme Dieu, Carlos, and Geneva), Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Prior Lake in Scott County and Rice Lake near Brainerd are a particular concern as they can be key sources for zebra mussel spread.

ENVIRONMENT-US: Greatest of Lakes Hit by Climate Change

By Adrianne Appel

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, Oct 22 (IPS/IFEJ) - The weather was right for swimming this summer along the shores of Lake Michigan, but on many days, the only living things seen on the beach were gulls, picking away at zebra mussels ensnared in a thick, green slime that covered every rock, pebble and grain of sand for miles. [Full Story]

Source: Inter Press Service

Stepped-up invasive species enforcement results in citations and warnings

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation officers recently issued about a dozen citations and several warnings in the Mille Lacs area. Most citations were for transporting aquatic macrophytes and failing to drain water.

The CO’s also distributed educational materials in a stepped-up effort to reduce the spread of invasive species that threaten native fish and wildlife, and water recreation.

Under Minnesota law, it is illegal to transport invasive aquatic plants and animals, as well as water from waterbodies infested with zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas. Violators could face fines up to $500.

“We hope these citations and warnings will raise awareness that this state looks at invasive species very seriously,” said Capt. John Hunt, DNR water resource enforcement manager. “Once a species like the zebra mussel gets into our waters, it’s very unlikely we can eliminate it.
That’s why prevention is critical.”

The increased enforcement effort will include a greater presence at public water accesses, where officers will look closely for violations. Officers will also give out informational cards, which explain laws on transporting infested water and aquatic invasive species, to all boaters.

By taking a few simple steps when leaving a lake or river, boaters and anglers can do their part to help stop the spread of aquatic hitchhikers.

The key steps are to clean, drain, and dry boats and equipment:

Clean all aquatic plants, zebra mussels, and other aquatic animals from boats, equipment and trailers before leaving the water access. Drain water from bilges, live wells, and bait containers before leaving the water access.

Dry boats and equipment for five days, or spray with high pressure and hot water before transporting to another lake or river. The zebra mussels can be unintentionally transported on boats and trailers because they can remain alive while being transported out of water, and they attach to boats, aquatic plants, and other objects.

Intercepting invasive-contaminated boats at landings is just a small part of the solution, Hunt noted, because it will take the combined efforts of citizens, businesses, visitors, and other law enforcement agencies to contain the spread of these harmful species.

“Any success in controlling the spread of invasive species will rely heavily on boat owners taking responsibility for their boats,” Hunt said. “It’s important that they know what to look for and thoroughly clean their boats.”

For more information on zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species, see http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/index.html. And, for more information on ways to help stop aquatic hitchhikers go to http://www.mndnr.gov/.

New video shows how to avoid common VHS rule violation

Keep fish healthy, avoid a ticket

MADISON – A new public service announcement [VIDEO Length 00:41] is now available online to demonstrate to anglers an important but too often overlooked step to prevent the spread of VHS fish disease, zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species to new lakes and rivers.

The 30-second video can be found on the Department of Natural Resources Web site and it shows how anglers, before they leave their shore fishing spot or boat landing, should put their catch on ice and drain water out of the container that had been holding their catch. VHS rules require the draining of water from boats, containers and fishing equipment and prohibit moving live fish away from a lake or river except for leftover minnows bought from Wisconsin bait dealers and transported away under certain conditions.

DNR Chief Warden Randy Starks directed DNR staffer Mary Farmiloe to create the spot after warden reports that too many anglers were leaving for the day with their live catch in a bucket full of water.

“We're hoping that by demonstrating what it looks like to comply with the law through this video, we'll get better voluntary compliance,” Stark says. “Our experience is that once people understand what it is they need to do, most people voluntarily comply. We intend to step up enforcement efforts with those who choose not to comply.”

A fall 2008 University of Wisconsin Badger Poll: Boaters and anglers taking steps to prevent spread of invasive species (Dec. 9, 2008) showed that while people did a good job overall in taking the steps necessary to prevent the spread of VHS fish disease and aquatic invasive species, only 58.6 percent of respondents said they never move live fish away from the lake or river where they are fishing.

DNR steps up invasive species enforcement in Alexandria area beginning this weekend

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is increasing enforcement efforts to prevent the transportation of aquatic invasive species from several lakes in the Alexandria area in west-central Minnesota.

Additional conservation officers will target these areas during peak weekend use in an effort to protect resources and educate boaters and anglers about zebra mussels that were discovered in Lake Le Homme Dieu, part of the Alexandria chain of lakes, in late June.

The following lakes have been selected for enhanced enforcement surveillance:

• July 3-5 - Alexandria chain of lakes (Douglas County)
• July 10-12 - Lake Osakis (Todd and Douglas counties)
• July 16-18 - Otter Tail and West Battle Lakes (Otter Tail County)
• July 24-26 - Minnewaska (Pope County).

Minnesota’s water resources are threatened by numerous aquatic invasive species such as the zebra mussel, Eurasian watermilfoil and purple loosestrife

“Invasive species can be easily transported from one lake to another, but taking some simple precautions can minimize the risk,” said Capt. John Hunt, DNR water resource enforcement manager.

Hunt offered boaters these suggestions:

• Draining bait buckets, bilges and live wells before leaving any water access is a good habit to develop.
• Removing aquatic plants and zebra mussels from boats and trailers to prevent the spread of invasive species is required by law.
• Draining all water, including pulling the drain plug, is required by law when leaving waters that have been designated as infested with spiny water fleas or zebra mussels.

Officers and watercraft inspectors will hand out materials to educate boaters and anglers so that they take more responsibility in preventing the spread of invasives when they transport their boats from lake to lake.

Under Minnesota law, it is illegal to transport aquatic plants, zebra mussels, other prohibited species.and water from infested waters. Violators could face fines up to $500.

Zebra mussels found on Pike Lake near Duluth

A local resident found four zebra mussels while snorkeling in Pike Lake near Duluth last week, and both Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Minnesota Sea Grant biologists have now confirmed the discovery. Doug Jensen with Minnesota Sea Grant said the varied sizes of the mussels indicate they have been present in the lake for at least two years.

The zebra mussel is a nonnative invasive species that poses serious ecological and economic threats to Minnesota’s lakes and streams. Heavy infestations can kill native mussels, harm fisheries, litter beaches with sharp shells, clog water intakes, and damage boat motors. Native to Eastern Europe and Western Russia, zebra mussels were first discovered in Minnesota in 1989 in the Duluth-Superior Harbor. They subsequently spread to inland lakes including Mille Lacs, Prior, Le Homme Dieu, and to portions of the Mississippi, St. Croix, and Zumbro rivers.

The discovery of zebra mussels in Pike Lake is not surprising due to the location near Lake Superior where they have been present for 20 years. The infestation is disappointing because the DNR and the local Pike Lake Association have co-sponsored DNR watercraft inspectors at the public water access for several years.

“Zebra mussels in Pike Lake and Lake Superior pose risks for other waters in northeast Minnesota,” said Jay Rendall, DNR’s invasive species prevention coordinator. “Boaters and anglers will need to be extra careful to avoid spreading zebra mussels to nearby waters.”

To help stop aquatic hitchhikers like zebra mussels, boaters can take a few simple precautions:

• Inspect and remove all visible aquatic plants, animals and mud from boats, trailers and equipment, such as anchors, before leaving a water access.
• Inspect and remove all visible aquatic plants, animals or mud from docks, boat lifts and swim rafts before transporting to another water.
• Drain all water from boats - including live wells, bilges and bait buckets - before leaving a water access.
• Spray or rinse boats with high pressure and/or hot water, or let them dry thoroughly for five days before transporting to another water.

DNR will designate the lake an infested water and post signs to notify those using the public water access. Designation will make transport of water and harvest of bait from the lake prohibited. DNR increases inspections, enforcement and education around infested waters.

Under Minnesota law, it is illegal to transport aquatic plants, zebra mussels and other prohibited species. Violators could face fines up to $500.

Quagga mussels overtaking zebra mussels in Great Lakes

Zebra mussels are being muscled out of the Great Lakes by cousin quagga.

Research done by a University of Wisconsin-Madison doctoral candidate showed the quagga mussel to have become the dominant of the two species in the calm waters of the Great Lakes while the zebra mussel covers the bottoms of faster-moving waters in rivers and streams, UW-Madison announced in a news release. [Full Story]

Source: The Capital Times

Spread of key aquatic invasive species slowed in 2007-2008

Anglers’, boaters’ compliance with rules help efforts

MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank today announced a new report shows the spread of key aquatic invasive species has slowed in recent years and, thus far, VHS fish disease hasn’t spread. June is designated as Invasive Species Awareness Month in Wisconsin (exit DNR) and the report indicates efforts to raise awareness about invasive species, and increase efforts to fight their spread, is paying off. The 2007-2008 Aquatic Invasive Species Report is available on the DNR Web site.

“This is great news in the fight against aquatic invasive species,” Frank said. “Under Governor Doyle’s leadership, Wisconsin has made strong efforts to slow the spread of aquatic invasive species. While our work is paying off by slowing their spread, there is much more work to be done.”

Doyle tripled the funding to fight aquatic invasive species in his last budget, stepping up Wisconsin efforts to address one of the state’s top two water quality challenges.

“There is reason for optimism. The report shows the vast majority of Wisconsin waters are still free from the most problematic species, and we had no new waters with VHS,” Secretary Frank said. “A key reason for our optimism is the willingness of anglers and boaters to take simple step to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.”

In 2007-2008, the years the report covers, there were half as many waters reported with new infestations of zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil as had been reported in the previous two years. Anglers and boaters have taken steps to keep lakes, rivers and fish healthy. Local and state partners have worked to increase awareness of prevention steps to fight the spread of invasive species.

The state is acting on other fronts to curb the flow of invasive species to Wisconsin. The state Natural Resources Board recently approved a new framework for classifying invasive species and providing preventive measures to control their spread. The DNR is currently reviewing public comments to its proposed ballast water discharge permit aimed at reducing the invasive plants, animals and pathogens that arrive in Wisconsin waters.

More than 180 nonnative fish, plants, insects and organisms have entered the Great Lakes since the early 1800s, disrupting the food chain, fouling beaches, clogging infrastructure and costing citizens, industry and businesses more than $200 million a year.

Watch for Great Lakes invaders moving inland, group told

Green Bay - University of Notre Dame professor David Lodge has some advice for inland lakefront property owners worried about unwanted organisms invading their seemingly isolated waters: Keep an eye on the Great Lakes.

"The Great Lakes are a beachhead - just the first stopping point for species arriving in North America," Lodge told a group of about 400 people who are gathered in Green Bay this week for the 31st annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention.

"If you want to know what's coming next," he said Thursday, "look at what's already in the Great Lakes." [Full Story]

Source: JSOnline

Invasive species threaten Erie life

Stricter rules on ballast water sought to block stowaways, protect Great Lakes tourism

Tuesday, February 17, 2009 3:22 AM
By Spencer Hunt

John Hageman knows too well the threats that foreign invasive fish, mussels and plants pose to Lake Erie's ecology and its $1 billion-a-year tourism industry.

The round goby, for example, gobbles smallmouth bass eggs and out-hustles other native fish for food, said Hageman, fisheries biologist and manager of Ohio State University's Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island. [Full Story]

Source: THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

INTERVIEW: KEEPING ALIEN INVADERS OUT

Nature never made a connection between the nation’s big rivers and the Great Lakes. But Chicago did. A canal was dug connecting the Mississippi River system - including the Missouri, the Ohio and all their tributaries - to all of the Great Lakes at a point on Lake Michigan. [Full Story]

Source: The Environment Report

Too much mussel: Mollusk explosion could do great harm to Lake Michigan sport-fishing industry

by Jeff Alexander The Muskegon Chronicle
Sunday January 11, 2009, 10:39 PM

Below the steel blue waters of Lake Michigan, a giant sucking sound is transforming the world's sixth largest lake in ways that scientists never thought possible.

An estimated 330 trillion quagga mussels carpet vast areas of Lake Michigan's underbelly. The foreign mollusks literally are sucking the aquatic life out of the water and depositing it on the lake bottom, according to new scientific data. [Full Story]

Source: The Muskegon Chronicle

Foreign species stall in Wisconsin waterways in 2008

Mike Simonson/WPR, WPRPublished Wednesday, January 07, 2009

The spread of invasive species to Wisconsin lakes last year slowed to the lowest rate since extensive tracking began in 2000. Those results come with a combination of coercion and education … and a bit of fear. News of the fish-killing VHS virus found in the Lake Winnebago system, Lake Michigan and Green Bay has had a sobering effect statewide. (Full Story)

Source: Superior Telegram

Hitchhiking zebra mussels = bad news for lakes

They attach to boats, can cause ecological nightmare.

By Tim Darragh Of The Morning Call
December 22, 2008

Inside a pipe connecting a hydroelectric plant to a lake on the Pennsylvania- Maryland border, environmental workers earlier this year found a half-inch-long world of trouble.

Workers at the Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam in Maryland discovered a Dreissena polymorpha -- a zebra mussel -- the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection confirmed last month. A follow-up survey released last week found more attached to a pontoon boat in Conowingo Lake and in a reservoir feeding into it.

That's bad news to biologists, who say the pesky mollusk is an ecological nightmare, difficult to contain and expensive to control. (Full Story)

Source: The Morning Call.com

Partnerships yield successes in fight against aquatic invaders

But new introductions still a problem for state

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.

Prevention Steps for Water Gardeners

• 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)

Biopesticide may solve zebra mussel problem

By Sara Foss (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

CAPITAL REGION — Zebra mussels arrived in the United States 20 years ago and quickly spread throughout the country. By 1989, they had made their way to New York; a year later, they were already causing problems.

Considered an invasive species, the tiny mollusk is notorious for clogging the intake pipes of power plants, and damaging boats and harbors. The only way to get rid of them was by using highly toxic, polluting pesticides.

But that’s about to change.

A New York State Museum researcher has created a non-toxic alternative pesticide, using a natural bacterium that zebra mussels can feed on in small quantities, but will kill them if they eat too much of it. (Full Story)

Source: The Daily Gazette

Federal court affirms right to regulate ballast water

by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio
November 25, 2008

Duluth, Minn. — Minnesota's new ballast regulations are getting support from a Federal Appeals Court ruling.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the right of Michigan, and other states, to regulate ballast water. (Full Story)

Source: Minnesota Public Radio