Boat inspectors seek to limit spread of invasives

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Volunteers and citizens will be educating boaters and conducting free courtesy boat checks over the June 26-27 weekend at area lakes to assure the boaters do not accidentally spread Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species.

The inspectors will be stationed at the public accesses to help boaters understand Wisconsin’s invasive species laws and what they must do before leaving.

Wisconsin is a great place for fishing and boating. By following simple steps, everyone can help preserve the quality of lakes and rivers for future generations to enjoy.

Invasive species can crowd out native species, disrupt lake ecosystems and interfere with boating, fishing and other recreation. The main way that invasive species and fish diseases such as viral hemorrhagic septicemia spread to new waters is aboard boating and fishing equipment and live fish or water moved from one water body to another.

The citizens, who have been trained through Wisconsin’s Clean Boats, Clean Waters program, will demonstrate the required prevention steps boaters must take, provide stickers for boaters to place on their trailer posts to remind them of these steps and talk about Wisconsin invasive species and VHS laws.

Boaters, anglers and others enjoying Wisconsin waters are required to:

• Drain all water from vehicles, trailers, watercraft, containers, fishing equipment and gear when leaving any state waters or its shores. Two gallons may be kept for minnows.

• Do not take live fish away from any lake or its shores. A fish is considered dead when it is no longer in water. This law applies to shore anglers as well as those who fish from a boat.

• Remove all aquatic plants, animals and mud from watercraft, trailers and vehicles before leaving a landing for the day. Do not transport a vehicle, boat, boat trailer, equipment or gear of any type on a public highway which has an aquatic plant or animal attached to the exterior.

• Use minnows left over after a fishing trip again on the same water or on any other waters if no lake or river water, or other fish was added to their container.

Tags: northland outdoors, outdoors, fishing