Tag Archives: Eurasian milfoil

Aquatic invasive species still a threat

Zebra mussels
Zebra mussels – via Wikipedia

Montana FWP’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program is holding the line, but still worried about the introduction to the state of a number of aquatic invasive species . . .

The bad news is that inspection crews are turning up illegal live fish and nonnative species across Montana. The good news is no evidence of zebra mussels has yet been found.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park’s aquatic invasive species liaison, Linnaea Schroeer, reported this news in an annual message on FWP’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program.

FWP operated 20 seasonal watercraft inspection stations across the state, along with roving crews. More than 34,000 boats were inspected in 2014, and thousands of people were educated about the impacts of invasive species, she said.

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Preliminary results in for year’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program

Montana FWP released early numbers for this year’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program . . .

Preliminary results from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Aquatic Invasive Species Program show that 17 stations across the state inspected 30,376 watercraft and 367 failed.

That included 26,224 in-state and 4,152 out-of-state watercraft as of Sept. 30. Most of FWP’s roadside inspection stations closed after Labor Day, but several stayed open a few weeks later.

The violations broke down to 234 watercraft with vegetation that wasn’t Eurasian milfoil, 79 with standing water, 37 with Eurasian milfoil, 13 with zebra or quagga mussels, 10 with marine organisms and six with illegal bait.

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