Spreading Quagga/Zebra Mussels

After reading the guides lines on the EBMUD site suggested to them by the F&G they suggest washing your boats after every use. Since most people wash there boats on their driveways or street won't this just spread them to creeks that flow into rivers and lakes. I don't know much about them but wouldn't it make more sense to just keep the boat dry for a week before washing or trips to different waters?

The next time I shake the hand of an NCKA member I'll take a bath in h. peroxide.

Please take it before you shake my hand.

Yep, managers/agencies really need to get the word out that the cleaning needs to happen right after you leave the lake or river.  Preferably while you're still in that lake's watershed (i.e. at the dock).  Some facilities are setting up cleaning stations, but this isn't a very common occurrence yet. 

Zebra and quagga mussels are the only problem either.  There are invasive plants like hydrilla, little tine snails from New Zealand, and a bunch more.

As for the dessication of zebra and quagga mussels.  There has been some research done.  Here's an old report from the Army Corp..

http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/elpubs/pdf/trel95-6.pdf

The main results of which are...
-  Zebras are little more resistant than Quagga mussels to dessication.  Presumably this occurs because quaggas are a deeper water species and haven't evolved to handle the occasional emmersion like zebra mussels.
-  Humidity and temperature have a big impact on how quickly they die from emmersion out of water.
In an experiment done at 15 C (~60 F) with varying humidity...
-  At 33% humidity, half of the mussels are dead after about 75 hours and all of the mussels are dead at about 120 hrs.
-  At 50% humidity, half dead at ~100 hrs, all dead at ~150 hrs for Quaggas and ~300 hrs for Zebras.
-  At 73% humidity about the same as 50%.
-  At 100% humidity, half dead at  , all dead at 250 hrs, all dead at 300 hrs for Quaggas and 500+ hrs for Zebras.

So it would seem that leaving your boat to dry for a week will only work if the humidity is less than 50%.  It's still better to wash things down at the boat ramp if possible.

Coincidentally, I'm working a sportsmen's show up here in Portland tomorrow where I'll be manning the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission's invasive aquatic species information booth.  Getting the word out about zebra mussels and washing your boat is one of main reasons for this booth.  At least I get into the show for free.

Brian

Man that was a mouth full to say! lol 

Reading the link you posted about them now.

Troy

DFG now has dogs trained to detect fire arms, abalone, bear, quagga, and zebra muscles.  7 dogs soon to be 24.  People that fish the So-cal lakes for big bass are bummed.  There are multiple lakes that are shut down and more on the way.

  My OB gets wiped down (Dryed) after each use (Recently Loch Lomond opener) top, bottom and inside (Little water enters from opening center hatch)
  Just my practice, loads better when not wet (Slipery)

Troy

The Santa Rosa PD did an article on this the last 2 days.  Clear Lake will have inspections before allowing boats to launch.  If you don't have this inspection sticker, receipt, whatever on you vessel, you can be cited.  The article explains more, but I don't know how to post it, so someone else can.   DO YAKS APPLY?

Do you know where they are inspecting?

 I heard it's a user friendly type of thing @ clear lake, where if they find water in your boat, they

 are going to disinfect it for you... with 150 degree water!!!!!  Holly Transducer Mount

5 part article

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080331/NEWS/803310307
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080328/NEWS/537403600
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070527/NEWS/705270473
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070126/NEWS/701260333
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20070114/NEWS/701140307

I was visiting the folks over the weekend in Kelseyville and went by Library Park in Lakeport to see if anything exciting was happening (ha, ha) and saw DFG was at the boat launch with a mussel-sniffing dog.

After reading all of the articles about this, Do we as "Boaters" have to have our kayaks inspected and an inspection tag put on, to be in the Clear Lake area? I tried to call and talk to someone and could not get a hold of anybody. (Our tax dollars at work) If anybody hears something, please post.

Yup. Yaks are covered and need to be inspected and stickered.

http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Mussels

It'll be interesting to see how effective this will be.

It is my opinion that DFG is approaching this problem totally backwards. They should have decontamination stations at the lakes and reservoirs that have this problem instead of the places that don't have it. There is not going to be enough manpower to patrol and inspect all the areas that are clean. How are you going to inspect and patrol the delta. It is absurd!!!

It is my opinion that DFG is approaching this problem totally backwards. They should have decontamination stations at the lakes and reservoirs that have this problem instead of the places that don't have it. There is not going to be enough manpower to patrol and inspect all the areas that are clean. How are you going to inspect and patrol the delta. It is absurd!!!

This problem is bigger than just the DFG can handle.  City and statewide water agencies should be more worried than the DFG and they are not.  Lakes that advertise trophy genetically altered trout and big bass and charge launching fees should be more worried than the DFG and they are not. I think that it is partly on their shoulders to set up and maintain deco. stations in partnership with all agencies involved with these water resources. 

On a side note, as responsible fishermen we should make every effort to police ourselves.  Take responsibility for yourself, your boat and educate others around you.

I was just looking over the Lake County rules..
http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Mussels
and I found this line..

Bans the disposal of live bait and any liquid that contains or has contained live bait into Lake County water bodies.

Sounds like H20Spiders "secret agents" can no longer do any missions in Clear Lake.  Either that, or his name for minnows just got a whole new meaning.

Brian