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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that Environmental Conservation Police will conduct boat inspections in the Adirondacks on May 16 and 17 to ensure boaters are aware of new state regulations, adopted in 2014, to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
The new regulations are limited in their scope, applying only to DEC managed lands such as boat launches and fishing access sites. The regulation requires boaters to remove all visible plant and animal materials from boats, trailers and associated equipment, and to drain boats prior to launching at or departing from DEC managed state lands. DEC also recommends drying boats, but that is not required under the regulations.
Inspections will occur at several Adirondack boat launch sites including Great Sacandaga Lake, Lake Champlain, Indian Lake, Schroon Lake, and Upper Saranac Lake. Local regulations already require CLEAN, DRAINED, and DRY inspections at Lake George and Loon Lake in Warren County.
Boaters should take the following steps to CLEAN, DRAIN, and DRY their boat, trailer and equipment to insure they do not spread invasive species:
Clean: Whenever leaving a waterway, inspect watercraft and gear and remove aquatic plants and animals, including mud and algae and dispose of away from the shoreline.
Drain: Drain all water from live-wells, bait buckets, bilges and other reservoirs.
Dry: Allow boats and equipment to completely dry. Drying times may vary. Specific guidance can be reviewed online at the 100th Meridian Initiative website. This period of time is needed to completely kill the resting eggs of spiny waterfleas.
If drying is not an option, wash the exterior of the boat and trailer with high pressure water. Use hot water (140°F) for one minute on fishing lines, downrigger cables, anchor lines, bilges, live wells, etc.
Photo provided by DEC.
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Is that a staged picture? It’s great. If that is coming out at a boat launch it is well designed to spread invasives!