CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has announced that the state remains free of invasive mussels after its busiest year ever for aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspections.
WGFD staff inspected more than 73,000 boats this year, decontaminating 1,154 watercraft, 64 of which contained invasive mussels, the agency said via press release. This marks the highest number of intercepted mussels since the program began in 2010.
AIS staff check watercraft for invasive plants like curly pondweed and species including Asian carp, zebra and quagga mussels and New Zealand mudsnails. A species is considered invasive if it is nonnative to the ecosystem and its introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health. WGFD performs routine checks of the state’s waterways for AIS.
WGFD says the AIS threat in Wyoming continues to grow, especially as mussels are being detected in surrounding states. South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and Idaho all house either zebra or quagga mussels, per WGFD.
“So far, Wyoming has been able to withstand the increased threat of invasive mussels,” WGFD’s AIS Coordinator Josh Leonard said in a statement. “Remaining adaptive and utilizing our resources strategically where the threat is highest will help stave off the problem, but more than anything we need each member of the public to do their part. A coordinated effort is how we’ll protect Wyoming’s waters.”
State law requires any watercraft entering the state between March 1 and Nov. 30 to undergo inspection before entering waterways. If the craft has been in mussel-infested waters within the past 30 days, it must be inspected before launching, no matter the date. Find an AIS inspection location on WGFD’s website.
