Zebra Mussels??

[capn_billl]

DRD MotorsportsSucks?

I smell a story here. Does anyone have the Paul Harvey version?

Here's what I have so far.

1. It is illegal to transport Zebra Mussels; so far so good, why would anyone want to?
2. You can be accussed of "transporting zebra mussels" anytime you move a watercraft from a "zebra mussel state" to a non "zebra mussel state".
3. Most recreational vessels do NOT have ballast tanks of sea water, and you would generally flush and drain seacocks, and pressure wash the hull, after pulling it out and before transport.
4. The penalties range from a $2000.00 fine to jail terms.
5. Teams of FBI agents apparently scour the countryside looking for Zebra mussel smugglers so they can fine them.

So,... Is is now against the law to move boats from zebra mussel to non zebra mussel states?
Is there an official procedure to safely kill all mussels clinging to the rudder?
Is there a "certification" process one has to go through to be "zebra mussel free"?
Is this process unusually expensive? Can it only be done by a zerbra mussel agency?
What happens if someone does the great loop, then crosses the Panama canal, and sails up to Washington state, you will have to have crossed several zebra mussel and non zebra mussel states to do so. Are you required to do a hual out at each state line marina?
Are the commercial vessels that brought here here in the first place required to do so?
Hate to sound paranoid, but history show these efforts generally devolve into permanent fees that serve no purpose, and have a track record so far of exactly zero, of actually stopping a species from migrating.

Still waiting for Paul Harvey. Anyone encounter this?

That Paul, (not Harvey, the shipper guy), guy sounded kinda upset, you don't get that angry from some guy at the boarder helping you scrape mussels off of a boat.

Did the Federal guys tell him stop here for several weeks and pay several thousand for zebra mussel removal and certification process, or pay $2000.00 fine??? After the third or fourth state boarder that happened to me I would be a little miffed myself.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Hate to sound paranoid, but history show these efforts generally devolve into permanent fees that serve no purpose, and have a track record so far of exactly zero, of actually stopping a species from migrating.

You are indeed sounding paranoid. I've taken boats through an inspection point, and it only took a few seconds. No worse than going through an agricultural inspection station.

If that's all it takes to protect our waterways from invasive species that will wreak environmental havoc, then I find it hard to think that rational, responsible boaters will complain about the process.

[perchance]

You must be joking. This is an exercise in futility. I repair stern drives for a living and when I disassemble them I find these little Bas#@&ds in every nook and cranny where you can't see them. Short of pulling apart every drive transiting from state to state you will never stop this invasion.

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by perchance

You must be joking. This is an exercise in futility. I repair stern drives for a living and when I disassemble them I find these little Bas#@&ds in every nook and cranny where you can't see them. Short of pulling apart every drive transiting from state to state you will never stop this invasion.

Besides this has worked soo well for killer bees and fire ants. (Sarcasm). Oh and the citris leafminer, apple maggot, sorgham midge, snake head fish, lion fish, ...

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Bash

You are indeed sounding paranoid. I've taken boats through an inspection point, and it only took a few seconds. No worse than going through an agricultural inspection station.

If that's all it takes to protect our waterways from invasive species that will wreak environmental havoc, then I find it hard to think that rational, responsible boaters will complain about the process.

Good point. Why is this guy soo mad about having to stop for a few seconds at an inspection point???

[perchance]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

Besides this has worked soo well for killer bees and fire ants. (Sarcasm). Oh and the citris leafminer, apple maggot, sorgham midge, snake head fish, lion fish, ...

Don't forget the Pythons (not the English comedy group) that are taking over the Florida Everglades.

[Tbrad]

Well, speaking from the voice of experience; I pulled out of Lake Erie and the boat was covered with the amazing little critters. No one checked anything. Never saw anyone in authority. Got home and discovered the motor and drive systems were loaded. Then went to kentucky Lake and still no one checked anything. So like Perchance said; the dang things are everywhere and I don't see how you'll ever stop the spread of them. Now we look forward to dealing with the Asian Carp. Oboy!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by perchance

You must be joking. This is an exercise in futility. I repair stern drives for a living and when I disassemble them I find these little Bas#@&ds in every nook and cranny where you can't see them. Short of pulling apart every drive transiting from state to state you will never stop this invasion.

Evidently, 5 days dry kills them.

[Curmudgeon]

Too bad they are too small for humans to eat. Bass aparently love them.

[Navicula]

around ontario we have zebra mussels in some of our fresh water lakes, and we dont want them in the rest of the lakes.

what we do have are police (the marine unit) they will drag there boat to 4 different lakes in one day to do there job.
in order to do that they trailer there small boat from lake
to lake. they back there trailer into some weedy boat launches which the trailer snags the weeds, (which carry the zebra mussels) and they can get transported to another lake by the trailer not the boat.