OLYMPIA — Boaters hauling their vessels to and from Washington waters this summer may be stopped by state Department of Fish and Wildlife officers conducting mandatory checks of boats and trailers for aquatic invasive species.
Aquatic invasive species spread by attaching themselves to boats and other water-based equipment. Once established, the non-native mussels and other aquatic invasive species multiply quickly and threaten native fish and wildlife by consuming available food and smothering other species. Besides endangering native aquatic species, they can clog water-intake systems at power plants, irrigation districts, public water suppliers and other facilities.
“These invasive mussels have already spread to other waterways in several western states,” said Allen Pleus, WDFW aquatic invasive species coordinator. “That’s a big concern, because if they get into our waters, they will likely spread rapidly and cause a great deal of damage.
“If these species become established in the Columbia River system it could result in billions of dollars of economic damage to everything from hydro-electric dams to municipal water systems, and put further strain on federally protected species that live there,” Pleus said.
