“Invasive species.” It sounds like a term from a sci-fi movie. But it applies to that tiny clam that attached itself to the hull of your boat — and it applies to the larvae that can enter your boat motor and grow into a tiny clam that blocks water flow through the engine.
Yes, that tiny clam could be a zebra mussel or a quagga mussel — neither of which is native to North America. And both species can cause problems in your engine or in the ecosystem, according to Phil Moy, fisheries and invasive species specialist with the Wisconsin Sea Grant Program.
In addition to clogging engines, these mussels disrupt the entire food chain in U.S. waterways. In order to eat, they pump water through their bodies, straining out the tiny plankton that they eat. This reduces the plankton available to native species, Moy explains. Lack of food kills native species, such as larger animal plankton and minnows, which causes a lack of food further up the food chain. This lack of food reduces fish populations, which in turn affects bird and wildlife populations — not to mention reducing the bites on your line.
When zebra mussels and quagga mussels eat plankton, they also cause the water to be clearer. Increased light penetration will then cause increased vegetation. After a certain point, this increased vegetation can cause shallow waterways to be impassable by boat and can have a negative effect on fish habitats.
To date, there is no cost-effective, efficient way to eradicate zebra mussels or quagga mussels once they become established in a body of water. The best course of action is to prevent the further spread of these species. It is likely that zebra mussels and quagga mussels arrived in the U.S. via ship and they continue to migrate via boats and trailers. Therefore, preventing the spread of the species via boat is key to reducing the damage they cause.
How can you prevent these invasive species from hitchhiking on your boat?
- Drain all water from your boat: empty the bilge, bait bucket and live wells. Mussel larvae can float in the water and can be transported from one body of water to another in the boat.
- Clean weeds off your boat and trailer. Mussels can attach to this vegetation and move to new bodies of water in this manner.
- Clean the hull of your boat. Mussels can attach directly to your boat. The best method for cleaning is to spray the boat with hot water or high pressure. But even a regular hose is better than nothing at all, Moy says.
These steps will also prevent the spread of other invasive species. For example, fishermen want to prevent the spread of the round goby, a fish that preys on fish eggs and can significantly reduce bass populations. Boaters want to prevent the spread of the Eurasian watermilfoil, a plant that can choke waterways, tangle around boat motors and diminish property values.
Preventing the spread of invasive species isn’t just the eco-friendly thing to do. It is mandated by legislation in many states. The Department of Natural Resources can issue fines to boaters who leave boat ramps without cleaning their boats. And of course, takingsteps to prevent invasive stowaways also protects your boat.
*Image courtesy of the US Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, July 8, 2011. Click here to view enlarged image.
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