sunsoaker8
02-23-2007, 12:52 PM
Argicultural inspectors checking boats for mussels
BY DAVID BELL
Thursday, February 22, 2007 10:29 PM MST
Boats on trailers are being stopped at the California agricultural inspection station on Interstate 40 outside Needles as officials try to stop the spread of an invasive mussel into California waters.
“Yes, there are inspections for the quagga mussel. We are assisting the California Department of Fish and Game. They are the lead agency,” said Steve Lyle, spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The DFA maintains the inspection stations along the California-Arizona border.
Inspections started at the Needles, Vidal Junction and Yermo stations and those stations are now manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The inspections are the result of reports that the quagga mussel was found in intake pipes for both Metropolitan Water District and Central Arizona Project, both of which draw water from Lake Havasu.
Troy Swauger, spokesman for California Fish and Game, said boats that are suspected of housing the quagga mussel are given three options.
“One is clean the boat there, or the boater can turn around and go back to the lake they came from,” Swauger said.
The third option is to write the boater a quarantine notice, requiring them to take the boat to a secured dry location until it can be cleaned and then inspected and approved by Fish and Game. Without the approval, the boat will not be allowed on a California body of water.
“We don't want to tie up boaters or create a problem for them,” said Swauger. “The good thing is we're not in the boating season, so we can get the procedures up and running now. So when we get to Memorial Day weekend the system will be in place.”
Stopping the spread of the mussel within Arizona isn't quite as easy as state-to-state because Arizona has no internal inspection stations.
“There are no simple solutions except for public education,” said Arizona Game and Fish spokesman Rory Aikens. “If we can get anglers and boaters to take simple steps, it would make a big difference.”
Though the mussel is in Lake Havasu, it doesn't yet present an issue for Lake Havasu City.
“Our community is fortunate that our water comes from 100 feet below the surface of the lake. That's enough of a filter to keep it out of our drinking water system,” said Lake Havasu City spokesman Charlie Cassens.
Jarrod Lyman, vice president of the Lake Havasu Convention & Visitors Bureau, said his agency doesn't expect tourism to take a downturn as a result of the steps taken by the California agencies.
“The likelihood of catching a quagga mussel over a weekend is fairly small, so I don't think it's too much of an issue for boaters,” Lyman said. “Our visitors are concerned about their boats and like to get them clean as soon as possible anyway.”
Lyman said his agency also would assist the states' efforts to get the word out on how to stop the mussel from spreading.
The quagga mussel is a native to the Ukraine and was first discovered in North America in Lake Erie in 1991. Like its cousin the zebra mussel, the quagga clogs intake pipes and displaces native mussels.
Although small - about 20centimeters - the mussel breeds quickly and in large numbers, up to a million microscopic larvae in a year. The quagga has no dormant period and feeds all year long, using up food sources for native fish and affecting the natural food chain, often creating an overgrowth of algae.
The quagga mussel also is believed to be the culprit that caused the “dead zone” in Lake Erie, by exuding phosphorus and eliminating oxygen in the water, killing plants and fish.
You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.
BY DAVID BELL
Thursday, February 22, 2007 10:29 PM MST
Boats on trailers are being stopped at the California agricultural inspection station on Interstate 40 outside Needles as officials try to stop the spread of an invasive mussel into California waters.
“Yes, there are inspections for the quagga mussel. We are assisting the California Department of Fish and Game. They are the lead agency,” said Steve Lyle, spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
The DFA maintains the inspection stations along the California-Arizona border.
Inspections started at the Needles, Vidal Junction and Yermo stations and those stations are now manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The inspections are the result of reports that the quagga mussel was found in intake pipes for both Metropolitan Water District and Central Arizona Project, both of which draw water from Lake Havasu.
Troy Swauger, spokesman for California Fish and Game, said boats that are suspected of housing the quagga mussel are given three options.
“One is clean the boat there, or the boater can turn around and go back to the lake they came from,” Swauger said.
The third option is to write the boater a quarantine notice, requiring them to take the boat to a secured dry location until it can be cleaned and then inspected and approved by Fish and Game. Without the approval, the boat will not be allowed on a California body of water.
“We don't want to tie up boaters or create a problem for them,” said Swauger. “The good thing is we're not in the boating season, so we can get the procedures up and running now. So when we get to Memorial Day weekend the system will be in place.”
Stopping the spread of the mussel within Arizona isn't quite as easy as state-to-state because Arizona has no internal inspection stations.
“There are no simple solutions except for public education,” said Arizona Game and Fish spokesman Rory Aikens. “If we can get anglers and boaters to take simple steps, it would make a big difference.”
Though the mussel is in Lake Havasu, it doesn't yet present an issue for Lake Havasu City.
“Our community is fortunate that our water comes from 100 feet below the surface of the lake. That's enough of a filter to keep it out of our drinking water system,” said Lake Havasu City spokesman Charlie Cassens.
Jarrod Lyman, vice president of the Lake Havasu Convention & Visitors Bureau, said his agency doesn't expect tourism to take a downturn as a result of the steps taken by the California agencies.
“The likelihood of catching a quagga mussel over a weekend is fairly small, so I don't think it's too much of an issue for boaters,” Lyman said. “Our visitors are concerned about their boats and like to get them clean as soon as possible anyway.”
Lyman said his agency also would assist the states' efforts to get the word out on how to stop the mussel from spreading.
The quagga mussel is a native to the Ukraine and was first discovered in North America in Lake Erie in 1991. Like its cousin the zebra mussel, the quagga clogs intake pipes and displaces native mussels.
Although small - about 20centimeters - the mussel breeds quickly and in large numbers, up to a million microscopic larvae in a year. The quagga has no dormant period and feeds all year long, using up food sources for native fish and affecting the natural food chain, often creating an overgrowth of algae.
The quagga mussel also is believed to be the culprit that caused the “dead zone” in Lake Erie, by exuding phosphorus and eliminating oxygen in the water, killing plants and fish.
You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.