Kelly Manufacturing



North Dakota Ag News Headlines
Water Recreationists, Property Owners Asked to Help ANS Search
North Dakota Ag Connection - 09/16/2019

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking water recreationists and property owners to check for zebra mussels and other aquatic nuisance species when removing boat lifts, docks and other equipment from area lakes.

ANS coordinator Jessica Howell said zebra mussels attach to hard surfaces that are left in the water for long periods of time, first settling in tight spaces and areas that are protected from sunlight. She said this can make searching for them in the lake difficult when there are few mussels present.

"It makes it easier to do a thorough search on equipment when it's taken out of the water in the fall," Howell said. "Pay special attention to wheel wells, right angles on frames, and areas that are otherwise protected from sunlight. Feel for attached organisms that have small hair-like structures holding them in place. Small mussels can feel like rough sandpaper, and adults can be as large as two inches long."

Howell said if you think you've found a zebra mussel, take pictures, write down any relevant information such as how many were found and where, and report it online at the Game and Fish website gf.nd.gov/ans, or email Howell at jmhowell@nd.gov.

Zebra mussels are native to the Black and Caspian seas and were introduced to the United States in the mid-1980s. Since then, they have caused massive damage to infrastructure, increased costs to electric and water users, and altered the ecosystems into which they were introduced. They were first discovered in North Dakota in the Red River in 2015 as a result of downstream drift from infested Minnesota lakes. Most recently, zebra mussels were discovered earlier this year in Lake Ashtabula.

"Help stop the spread by reporting anything that seems out of place, and remember to clean, drain and dry equipment before moving between waters," Howell said.


Other North Dakota Headlines
McFarlanes/Flexharrow
Freudenthal Manufacturing
Copyright © 2024 - Farms.com. All Rights Reserved.