January 2023 - 10

NEWS
Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel inspect a boat for aquatic invasive species at the Evanston port of entry check station. (Photo by Chris Martin/WGFD)
Game and Fish remains diligent,
busy in keeping AIS out of Wyoming
CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Game
and Fish Department's efforts to keep
aquatic invasive species, particularly zebra
and quagga mussels, out of the state's waters
paid off in 2022. The department utilized
longer hours and extended the season to
inspect more than 65,000 boats for AIS.
Wyoming remains one of the few states in
the country not to have quagga and zebra
mussels.
Game and Fish personnel conducted
65,567 boat inspections in 2022, down from
68,140 in 2021. However, the number of
high-risk inspections went up from 4,187
in 2021 to 4,747 last year.
Josh Leonard, Game and Fish aquatic
invasive species coordinator, said the rise
in the number of high-risk inspections was
due mostly to the discovery of zebra mussels
in Pactola Reservoir, 13 miles west of
Rapid City, South Dakota, and 27 miles
from the Wyoming border. It was the first
time zebra mussels were found in a body
of water this close to Wyoming, and was
10 | January 2023
especially concerning because many boaters
frequent waters on both sides of the state
line. Leonard said about midway through
the boating season all inspections of boats
coming out of South Dakota were considered
high risk. Watercraft moored at marinas
pose the highest risk, especially commercially
hauled watercraft. Mooring of watercraft in
By the numbers
Figures involving the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's work to prevent aquatic invasive species
from entering the state's waters, and in particular, zebra and quagga mussels. These figures are from
watercraft inspections from throughout the state.
Year
2022
2021
2020
2019
Total inspections
65,567
68,140
75,620
52,563
High-risk inspections
4,747
4,187
4,510
4,251
Decons
691
924
701
480
Mussel boats
58
54
22
19
excess of 24 hours provides greater opportunity
for mussels and other AIS to attach
to watercraft.
" The risk of introduction to waters in the
northeast part of the state is higher than anywhere
else at the moment, " Leonard said.
The risk of mussels coming to Wyoming
isn't just along its eastern borders. Highline

January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2023

January 2023 - 1
January 2023 - 2
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January 2023 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
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