April 2021 - 2

FROM THE

DIRECTOR
Zebra mussels are here;
but we're not done fighting them

By Brian Nesvik

n early March invasive zebra mussels
were confirmed in Wyoming. It's a headline the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has dreaded for nearly a decade
and an arrival we spend more than $1 million
annually to prevent through our aquatic invasive species (AIS) program. But, these invaders
didn't travel to Wyoming on the propeller of an
unsuspecting boater. Instead, the tiny mussels
were nestled in " moss balls, " small spheres of
algae popular with aquarium owners. They are
primarily sold in pet stores.
Wyoming is one of more than three dozen states who found zebra
mussels in moss balls, imported from Eurasia. Some of these state's
already have invasive mussels present in their natural water sources.
Wyoming, on the other hand, does not. The fact they are here now
could lead to some devastating consequences for the future of our state.
Zebra mussels pose a great threat to our lakes, reservoirs and
municipal water systems. Visit the Great Lakes and you'll see how
mussels have overtaken waters and beaches. Simply put, they wreak
havoc and can be incredibly destructive. They remove nutrients from
water, clog pipes and waterways, damage boats and outcompete native
mussels. In many cases zebra mussels are impossible to remove. This
discovery could have costly impacts for Wyoming. Now, these mussels
could be in homes, our city water supplies and our natural waters.
No one anticipated the arrival of this potentially catastrophic
invasive species through pet products, disseminated widely throughout
Wyoming on retail shelves as well as multiple online vendors. Our goal
for a decade has been to keep invasives from coming to our state via
watercraft. To date that approach has been effective. While we knew
this day could come, we certainly didn't expect commercial-product
sales to be the source.
2 | April 2021

Current Game and Fish prevention efforts focus on boater check
stations, education and monitoring. We've been working on this
since the threat was identified more than 10 years ago. We are near
the completion of 23 rapid response plans to act quickly if mussels are
identified in natural water, like Flaming Gorge or Glendo reservoirs.
We've had success, too. Our robust watercraft inspection efforts have
kept quagga and zebra mussels from entering Wyoming. Boaters have
stepped-up by following recommendations to drain, clean, dry their
boats and stopping for quick inspections. In 2020 Game and Fish
inspected 75,620 watercraft over 240 days. At those check stations
inspectors decontaminated 701 watercraft that were highly likely to
transport AIS; 22 had mussels attached. This prevention program is
paid for by federal grants and other sportsperson funds.
However, AIS prevention is no longer squarely in the laps of boaters
and Game and Fish. The zebra mussels arrived on plant imports
which Game and Fish nor the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have
the authority to regulate. Because we don't have invasive mussels
now, we don't know how they will affect Wyoming and we may
not know in the near term. The next several months and how we
act together as a state and nationally will be crucial for the future of
Wyoming. Controlling the impacts of these mussels will demand
coordination and partnership from all stakeholders. Governor Mark
Gordon has convened an emergency response team, led by Game and
Fish and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. We're working
with municipalities and other state agencies on a strategy to mitigate
as much risk as possible because of this discovery. Additionally, we are
looking to identify all places we should be looking and sampling to
contain and attack any infestations. We are hopeful with cooperation
from multiple agencies and the public we can prevent mussels from
emerging in our natural waters.
If you are an aquarium owner, in Wyoming or anywhere in the
country, carefully dispose of these moss balls and aquarium water.
Do not flush moss balls or pour aquarium water down drains or in
your local water bodies. For directions visit https://wgfd.wyo.gov/
Get-Involved/AIS-moss-balls.

https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/AIS-moss-balls https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/AIS-moss-balls

April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2021