Throughout summer, Clean Boats, Clean Waters (CBCW) boat inspectors in their iconic blue t-shirts are at boat launches across the state, reminding people of ways they can prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). Every year since 2010, they go big during the 4th of July holiday, the pinnacle of the boating season, and give boaters “Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!” boat towels. The 2022 Landing Blitz was July 1-5.
Wisconsin’s Landing Blitz may even be said to have inspired a broader effort: The Great Lakes Regional Landing Blitz! States and provinces in the Great Lakes Basin are participating during 2022, the fourth year for the regional AIS prevention effort.
Grants from the Great Lakes Commission sponsoring the event have allowed Wisconsin to expand CBCW efforts to even more landings this year. “We know from years of WDNR AIS monitoring that the “Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!” guidance to inspect, remove, drain, and never move is effective at preventing and reducing the spread of invasive species,” says Erin McFarlane, Statewide CBCW Educator with Extension Lakes. “Taking a minute or two to remove all the plants, animals, mud, and debris from your boat, trailer, and equipment while draining water from the bilge, fish buckets, and live wells is all it takes to prevent a new invasive species from establishing in your favorite lake or river.”
New or infrequent boaters may not be aware of these well-established prevention steps and even frequent boaters might forget. McFarlane notes that if Clean Boats, Clean Waters staff are not at a launch, boaters modeling good prevention steps influence others to do the same. She adds, “Every boater and angler has a role to play in protecting our lakes and rivers. We’re thankful for people currently doing their part.”
Throughout the state many launches now have cleaning stations to make prevention even easier. Stations vary from high tech cleaning stations, to power wash units, or sign kiosks with tools like deck brushes and grabbers. If you have a lake organization interested in setting a station up, contact Tom Boisvert, Lincoln County Conservation Program Manager at [email protected].
Lastly, remember:
Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
Remove all attached mud, plants or animals
Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment
Never move live fish away from a waterbody
Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer
Following these steps helps boaters comply with Wisconsin state law, which prohibits the transport of aquatic invasive species. To learn more about invasive species and their impacts to Wisconsin’s waters and economy, visit DNR.wi.gov and search “Invasive Species.”