Aquatic Invasive Species Update

Invasive species come in all shapes and sizes and can be transported in countless ways disrupting the native ecosystems and in many cases overrunning the ability for native species to thrive. In efforts to protect and preserve healthy ecosystems across the Rocky Mountain region, state agencies are teaming together and utilizing a national database. Data collected via this database can be shared across units, allowing for a boat’s inspection history to be accessed, allowing for inspectors to view where the boat has been previously to better assess potential transport issues. Utilizing this high-level of information grants the best possible communication across state lines.

STATE & AREA UPDATES - CLEAN, DRY, DRAIN.IdahoCelebrating their 10th year of inspection stations, Idaho has discovered and intercepted  31 mussel fouled boats with 2 harboring viable adult mussels or veligers.  So far in 2018, 17 fouled watercrafts have been decontaminated. Learn more about Idaho’s Aquatic Invasive Species efforts here. WyomingFrom March 1 through November 30, all boats transported through the state, no matter if launching in Wyoming, must undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector. Any watercraft that has been in a water infested with zebra/quagga mussels within the last 30 days, is required to undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching during ALL months of the year.Local Wyoming boater? Head to Wyoming Game & Fish site to learn more about your responsibilities.MontanaIf you are carrying or towing any watercraft or water-based equipment (non-motorized and motorized), you MUST stop at all watercraft inspection stations you encounter in Montana.Explore details of Montana’s specific state laws here. Grand Teton National ParkInspection stations at Moose and Moran entrances have opened for the summer season.  Kelly Warm Springs - Moving forward in 2018Kelly Warm Spring has had a long history of illegal aquarium dumping dates back to guppies in the 1940s and in more recent years, reports of goldfish, madtoms, and bullfrog tadpoles have been found originating from the warm spring have traveled into Ditch Creek within 10 meters of the Snake River. In conjunction with Wyoming Game and Fish Department biologists, Grand Teton National Park biologists have identified piscicide treatment as the preferred alternative for removing non-native fish species from Kelly Warm Spring and its outflow area. Learn more about the efforts to clean up and restore the Kelly Warm Springs and surrounding tributaries on the Park Planning website.Yellowstone2018’s summer boating season has just begun; boat check stations will operate and are available at Bridge Bay Ranger Station, Grant Village Backcountry Office, and Snake River Ranger Station. Frequent Yellowstone often, learn the rules and regs here and as with all areas in Wyoming, remember to prevent the transport of aquatic invasive species to Yellowstone and any mountain region body of water by making always cleaning, draining, and drying your boat before you arrive.