Invasive zebra mussels now widespread at Truman Lake

MDC urges boaters to clean and dry all boats and bait gear

 Warsaw, Mo. – Zebra mussels, a harmful invasive species, are now present in all arms of Truman Lake, said Mike Bayless, fisheries management biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Evidence that mussels might be present in the lake was found in prior years. But inspections conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in recent weeks have determined that they are now fairly widespread in the lake, Bayless said. This makes it imperative for boaters and anglers at Truman Lake to take steps to avoid spreading zebra mussels to other waters.

Zebra mussels are fingernail-sized bivalve mollusks native to the Caspian Sea region of Asia. The mussels arrived in the United States in the ballast water of ships. They were first discovered in a lake near Detroit in the late 1980s. Since then, they have spread into the Mississippi and Missouri River basins. The mussels reproduce rapidly and can form dense colonies attached to boat hulls, docks, pipes and other submerged materials. Nationally, they have caused billions of dollars in damage. The mussels also filter nutrients from the water that benefit native fishes. No natural or man-made controls are effective in eliminating them from large bodies of water. But they can be prevented from entering new waters.

The microscopic young, called veligers, can survive in lake water left in boat live wells, bilge pumps or bait buckets. Adult mussels attached to hulls, engine drive units and anchor chains can survive several days out of the water. Zebra mussels usually enter new lakes or rivers when a boat or dock is moved from one body of water to another.

Boaters and anglers can help prevent zebra mussels and other exotic species from spreading into new waters by draining, cleaning and drying watercraft, Bayless said. Inspect all parts of boats and motors before moving them, scrape off and trash any suspected mussels however small. Remove all water weeds from boats and trailers. Drain all water from boats and motors while on dry land before leaving a water body. Dump leftover bait on dry land. Wash and dry boats before moving them if your craft was in infested waters for a long period of time.

Zebra mussels have been found in Missouri in Smithville Lake, Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals Lake, Lake of the Ozarks, the Missouri River and the Mississippi River. They also occur in Lake Lotawana in the Kansas City area, the lower Meramec River in the St. Louis area, and in rivers that drain into Missouri from other states. MDC encourages all water recreationists to help keep them from spreading to other waters, Bayless said.

For more information on zebra mussels in Missouri, visit http://on.mo.gov/2bBnqY7.

Invasive Species Week has special significance in Missouri

Image via Wikipedia

Missourians who care about conservation can help

protect the natural world by participating in this national observance.

JEFFERSON CITY–Some invasive plants and animals come in ships from halfway around the globe. Others leapfrog from one watershed to the next in bait buckets. Occasionally they arrive in pickup trucks under cover of darkness. The National Invasive Species Council (NISC) wants to get all Americans involved in stopping them.

Invasive plants and animals are in the news more than ever today. Despite the flood of information, the nature of the threat sometimes seems vague and distant. To increase popular awareness of hos invasive exotics threaten the nation’s economy, ecology and culture, NISC has designated Feb. 26 through March 3 National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Learn how you can reduce the threat from invasive species athttp://bit.ly/ywWuoa.

Missouri’s location astride several transcontinental transportation arteries and the nation’s largest river systems puts the Show-Me State squarely in the middle of invasive species issues. The problem is not new. The common carp, originally native to Eurasia, has been in the United States since the 1800s, about the same time that kudzu arrived from Japan. Dozens of other species that we now think of as part of the Show-Me State’s native flora and fauna actually are naturalized inhabitants. Most of them get along reasonably well with the natives. A few cause problems, however.

The zebra mussel is a prime example of a troublemaker. This thumbnail-sized freshwater mollusk also originated in Eurasia. It arrived in the Great Lakes in the 1980s in the ballast tanks of cargo ships. Since then, it has spread to several states, including Missouri. Zebra mussels are so prolific that they choke out native mussels, damage boats, docks and marine engines and block water intakes of municipal and commercial utilities.

Kudzu is another good example of a destructive invader. It didn’t sneak into the country the way the zebra mussel did. The Japanese government proudly escorted the vining plant into the United States for its debut at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. It was touted for its value as a forage plant and widely promoted for erosion control.

Kudzu liked its new home so well that it took off at a gallop southward and westward and has only slowed down where cold or drought made it feel unwelcome. Along the way, it bushwhacked unsuspecting native plants, including trees.

Those two stories neatly bookend the larger tale of invasive species in America. Introducing organisms into new areas, whether deliberately or by mistake, is one of the world’s most powerful lessons about unintended consequences.

Missouri’s catalog of invasive plants and animals is too extensive to list. Species of primary concern at the moment include the following.

·        The Asian longhorn beetle, emerald ash borer and gypsy moth are destructive forest pests.

·        The walnut twig beetle spreads thousand-cankers disease, which threatens Missouri’s multi-million dollar black-walnut industry.

·        Feral hogs damage wildlife habitat and agricultural crops and carry diseases that affect livestock and humans.

·        The bighead, black and silver carp could drastically alter the food chain of lakes and streams with consequences that remain uncertain.

·        Bush and Japanese honeysuckle choke out native vegetation, reducing biological diversity and degrading wildlife habitat.

·        Canadian thistle arrived here before the revolutionary war and degrades the value of pastures. Several other invasive, exotic thistle species cause similar problems.

·        The Chinese mystery snail, originally an aquarium specimen, is elbowing aside native snail species in urban streams statewide.

·        Various crayfish have displaced native crayfish species in at least 21 Missouri watersheds. Some of these were introduced through interstate bait trade. Others became invasive when introduced into watersheds adjacent to their natural ranges.

·        Sericea lespedeza was introduced into the United States in hopes of improving pastures and providing food for wildlife but turned out to be highly invasive and destructive to native grasslands.

·        Spotted knapweed, garlic mustard, Chinese yam, Japanese knotweed, Johnson grass, purple loosestrife and several other herbaceous plants are displacing native plants, causing agricultural damage and reducing the biological diversity of Missouri’s wildlands.

It can be difficult to get excited about the abstract concept of “biodiversity.” You might wonder why it matters if Missouri has 50 plant species or 50,000. Aren’t they all green?

Diversity is important for two reasons—stability and utility.

First stability. Natural communities with lots of species are stable, because no single factor, such as disease, drought or parasites, can take out many of the components. In contrast, communities with only a handful of species are vulnerable to collapse, because adverse factors that affect a handful of species can eliminate a large portion of the remaining plants or animals. Such collapses can affect things people depend on, including food and wood products. Even more vulnerable are fish and wildlife, which are at the heart of outdoor traditions that have shaped and continue to sustain the American character.

Then there is utility. What use are diverse natural communities? Think of Missouri’s thousands of plant and animal species as items in a huge toolbox for dealing with future problems, such as how to feed ourselves or treat diseases. You don’t know which tools are useful until you need them. Plants and animals that seem unimportant sometimes turn out to have traits—such as drought tolerance or medicinal value—that would be tragic to lose. Cancer drugs, drought-resistant crops and industrial chemicals are among the benefits we already have derived from nature. Do we want to have invasive species randomly tossing tools out of our toolbox?

Changes caused by invasive species can even affect cherished cultural traditions. Take hunting. How would the loss of acorn-producing oak trees due to a gypsy moth infestation affect deer and turkey numbers? Or fishing. No one knows yet how Asian carp or zebra mussels will alter the food chains of infested lakes and streams. How will those changes affect sport fish, such as bass, catfish and crappie, or commercial fishing on Missouri’s big rivers? Clearly, everyone has a stake in keeping invasive species out of Missouri.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has information about invasive species prevention and control at mdc.mo.gov/node/4086. Once at this site, search “invasive species.”

-Jim Low-

Most of Missouri remains zebra-mussel free

Image via Wikipedia

Uninfested waters underline the importance of

precautions against spreading the exotic invader.

JEFFERSON CITY–Hardly a week passes without an invasive plant or animal turning up in a new place. Consequently, the latest news about zebra mussels in Missouri reads a bit like “Man bites dog.”

Tim Banek, invasive species coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), hears plenty of bad news about zebra mussels and other invasive species. But the lab report he received from 2011 zebra-mussel screenings of selected Missouri lakes and streams contradicts the perception that invasive species are everywhere.

Earlier this year, MDC Fisheries Division staff used fine mesh-sized plankton nets to collect samples and send them to a laboratory to be analyzed for the presence of zebra mussel larvae, known as veligers.  Missouri waters sampled in 2011 included Smithville, Table Rock, Stockton, Norfork, Clearwater, Bull Shoals, Mark Twain, Pomme de Terre, Mozingo, Montrose, Hazel Creek, Forest, Thomas Hill, Blind Pony, Hunnewell, Springfield Hazel Hill, Maple Leaf, Binder, D.C. Rogers, Blue Springs, Longview, Little Dixie and Watkins Mill State Park lakes, and the Gasconade River. Banek was pleased but not surprised when every site got a clean bill of health. He said it is important for Missourians to know that most of their lakes and streams are free of zebra mussels.

“If people feel like zebra mussels are all over the place, they have no reason to take precautions to avoid spreading them,” he said. “They need to know where zebra mussels are, so the Conservation Department publishes those bad-news reports, but people need to know where zebra mussels aren’t, too.”

Each year, MDC checks for zebra mussels in high-risk lakes and streams and those that supply water for MDC fish hatcheries. We also tests less at-risk waters each year.

The only Missouri waters currently known to have zebra mussels are Lake of the Ozarks, Lake Taneycomo, upper Bull Shoals Lake, Lake Lotawana in Jackson County, the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, the lower Meramec River and the Osage River below Bagnell Dam.

According to Banek, knowing these lakes and streams have zebra mussels empowers Missourians to avoid spreading the invasive mussel. He said anglers and boaters have a lot to lose if zebra mussels and other exotic pests invade new areas. In the case of zebra mussels, possible costs include damage to boats, motors, docks and other marine equipment, not to mention the possible ecological consequences. A map of zebra mussel infested waters can be found at mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2010/05/zebra_7_2011.pdf.

Banek urges Missourians to use information provided by MDC to hold the line on zebra mussels. He said they can start by doing three things before moving boats and equipment to a different lake or stream.

Clean – Remove all plants, animals and mud, and thoroughly wash everything, especially live wells, crevices and other hidden areas. Wash boat bilges, trailers, motor drive units and live wells with hot water at least 104 degrees. Most commercial car washes meet this standard.

Drain – Eliminate all water before leaving the area, including live wells, bilge and engine cooling water.

Dry – If boats and equipment can’t be thoroughly washed, allow them to dry in the sun for at least five days before launching in other waters.

Dispose – Anglers can also avoid spreading zebra mussels and other invasive pests by obtaining live bait locally and disposing of leftover bait properly.

“Even things as seemingly harmless as earthworms and crayfish can be trouble,” said Banek. “Some commercial bait comes from as far away as Canada. If you catch minnows in one place and take them somewhere else to fish, you could be transporting invasive Asian carp species without knowing it. Get your bait where you plan to fish, and put leftover bait in a trash container headed for the nearest landfill before leaving your fishing area. Never toss live bait into a lake or stream to feed the fish.”

For more information on zebra mussels and other invasive species, visitwww.missouriconservation.org. 

MISSOURI FISHING

Related articles

• MDC bans porous-soled waders to help protect trout waters from invasive algae (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• First-time striper angler sets state record (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• MDC predicts good fall color in Ozarks (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

New tests find no zebra mussels at Pomme de Terre Lake

Boaters and anglers play critical roles in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

HERMITAGE Mo – Follow-up testing at Pomme de Terre Lake has given the southwest Missouri lake a clean bill of health regarding zebra mussels. State officials say the news emphasizes the important role boaters and anglers play in preventing the spread of these invasive mollusks.

Laboratory testing of water samples collected by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in spring 2009 detected the free-swimming, microscopic larval form of zebra mussels, called veligers, from three sample sites in the 7,820-acre lake.

In fall 2009 and again in 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) collected additional water samples at Pomme de Terre Lake for testing. Zebra mussels were not detected.

Based on contradictory sampling results in 2009 and 2010, MDC and USACE cooperatively conducted independent sampling at Pomme de Terre Lake in June (2011). MDC and USACE samples were sent to separate laboratories for testing. Zebra mussels were not detected in any of the 2011 samples from either agency.

The 2009 finding prompted MDC and the COE, which owns the lake, to put up signs cautioning visitors to Pomme de Terre to clean boats and trailers before moving them from the lake to other waters. They extended the education campaign to the 56,000-acre Harry S. Truman Reservoir, another COE lake downstream from Pomme de Terre.

With Pomme de Terre now found free of zebra mussels, the agencies remind boaters and anglers of the importance of preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species.

“With test results showing Pomme de Terre free of zebra mussels, it is now even more important that boaters and anglers take precautions to keep it that way,” said MDC Invasive Species Coordinator Tim Banek.

The zebra mussel is native to Eurasia. It hitched a ride to North America in the 1980s, arriving in the Great Lakes in the ballast tanks of oceangoing ships. Since then, the thumbnail-sized invader has leapfrogged across much of the continent on commercial and pleasure boats, whose owners unwittingly transported the mollusks when trailering boats from one body of water to another.

Female zebra mussels can produce a million offspring annually. They attach to any solid surface, sometimes several layers deep. They interfere with the natural food chain, making lakes and streams less productive for sport fish and replacing native animals.

Heavy zebra mussel infestations can weigh down docks, buoys and other marine equipment. Infestations on boat hulls increase water drag, leading to higher fuel and maintenance costs. They can clog marine engines’ cooling systems, creating a danger of damage due to overheating.

Zebra mussels also drive up utility bills by clogging water intakes of public and private utilities. Keeping those pipes open requires millions of dollars of maintenance annually.

“We don’t know exactly what changes might occur, but other areas where zebra mussels have taken hold have experienced ecological changes that were bad for fishing and tourism,” said Banek. “Missourians can avoid spreading zebra mussels with some reasonably simple precautions.”

Banek urges boaters to remember three points:

Clean – Remove all plants, animals and mud, and thoroughly wash everything, especially live wells, crevices and other hidden areas. Wash boat bilges, trailers, motor drive units and live wells with hot water at least 104 degrees. Most commercial car washers meet this standard.

Drain – Eliminate all water before leaving the area, including live wells, bilge and engine cooling water.

Dry – Allow boats and other equipment to dry in the sun for at least five days before launching in other waters.

Anglers can also avoid spreading zebra mussels and other invasive pests by obtaining live bait locally and disposing of leftover bait properly.

“Even things as seemingly harmless as earthworms and crayfish can be trouble,” said Banek. “Some commercial bait comes from as far away as Canada. If you catch minnows in one place and take them somewhere else to fish, you could be transporting invasive Asian carp species without knowing it. Get your bait where you plan to fish, and put leftover bait in a trash container headed for the nearest landfill before leaving your fishing area. Never toss live bait into a lake or stream to feed the fish.”

For more information on zebra mussels and other invasive species, visitwww.missouriconservation.org.

-Jim Low-

Missourians asked to celebrate freedom from invasive species July 4

Protect the state’s native species from invaders such as the zebra mussel, emerald ash borer and others.

 

Written by Rebecca Maples, MDC

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Under threat of attack, people rally in defense of their homeland. That is exactly what the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is asking citizens to do as they head to the great outdoors for Independence Day weekend.

“Not too many years ago, you could travel around the country without too much thought about spreading pests that could devastate our natural world,” said MDC Invasive Species Coordinator Tim Banek. “Today, we need everyone to be aware of invasive species when they travel, even short distances.”

Don’t move a mussel

By: MDC Staff

Two prime examples, said Banek, are the zebra mussel and the emerald ash borer (EAB). Neither was found in Missouri 20 years ago. Both now have footholds here and require constant vigilance by boaters, anglers, hunters and campers to limit their spread.

In the case of zebra mussels, preventive measures start by knowing where the fingernail-sized, black-and-white mollusks already are established. Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals Reservoir, Lake of the Ozarks, Lake Lotawana, the Osage, Missouri and Mississippi rivers and the mouth of the Meramec River all are known to harbor the prolific mussels.

Boaters and anglers who use their boats in more than one lake or stream are urged to remove any clinging vegetation, drain and inspect boats and trailers for zebra mussels and allow them to dry for at least five days before re-launching in a new location. Flushing live wells, bilges and motor cooling systems with hot water or chlorine bleach also is important.

Don’t move firewood
The EAB is a green beetle that has caused millions of dollars of damage across the Northeastern United States and the Upper Midwest by killing ash trees. Its habit of tunneling beneath tree bark, coupled with Americans’ love of camping and campfires, has caused the pest to spread more rapidly than it might have otherwise. Campers who take firewood with them from home or from one campsite to another can carry EAB larvae, which emerge and infest new areas.
Campers can avoid spreading EABs – along with other forest pests or diseases such as the gypsy moth and thousand-cankers disease of black walnut trees – by obtaining firewood in areas where they camp and burning it all before leaving. Even moving firewood from one campground to another in the same neighborhood can spread parasites and diseases. Campers who accidentally move firewood should burn it immediately.
For more information about emerald ash borers, visit www.MissouriConservation.org and search “EAB” or call 866-716-9974. The Missouri Cooperative Emerald Ash Borer Team also has an emerald ash borer newsletter, Borer Bite, which is available at www.eab.missouri.edu and on request from joanie.straub@mdc.mo.gov.
Don’t dump bait
Even Missourians who plan close-to-home “staycations” can unwittingly contribute to invasive species problems. An excellent example is taking fishing bait from one place to another.
“Most people would never dream that catching crayfish in a pond or stream near home and taking them to a fishing spot a few miles away could cause serious ecological problems, but it can,” said Banek. “Different crayfish species have very specific distributions. Moving one species into the next watershed can put larger, more aggressive crayfish in competition with native crayfish and crowd them out. Over time, that leads to loss of biological diversity and undermines the stability of aquatic ecosystems.”

Worms, minnows, crickets and other bait purchased from bait shops also pose potential threats to Missouri’s wild resources. Banek urges anglers never to dump leftover bait.
“Just about everyone has thrown live worms or minnows into the water at the end of a fishing trip, thinking they will feed the fish, but we know better now,” Banek said. “Invasive species sometimes slip into the bait supply chain, and once they are loose they can multiply.”
He said the same is true of worms, which sometimes are imported from as far away as Canada.
“The only safe thing to do with live bait is to send it to the landfill,” Banek said. “If there is a receptacle with a plastic bag at the boat ramp, you can put unused bait there. Otherwise, take it home and put it out with the rest of your trash.”
You can find more information about how to prevent the spread of invasive species by visiting www.MissouriConservation.org and searching “Invasive Species.”

Judge imposes maximum fine in zebra mussel case

Sentence highlights personal responsibility for negligent introductions.

SMITHVILLE – An Independence man received the maximum fine for introducing zebra mussels into Smithville Lake last year.

David Wayne Frazier, 51, pleaded guilty in Clay County Circuit Court to a charge of transporting a prohibited species. Judge Janet Sutton imposed a fine of $1,000 and six months of probation.

The case is the first prosecuted under a provision in Missouri’s Wildlife Code designed to stop the spread of invasive species. It began on June 28, 2010, when fisheries workers with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) discovered adult zebra mussels on a private boatlift during a swimming inspection of the Camp Branch Marina. An investigation by Conservation Agent Scott Stephens revealed that in October 2009, Frazier moved the boatlift from Lake of the Ozarks, where zebra mussels already were established.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and MDC staff immediately removed and decontaminated the lift. MDC, in cooperation with the Corps, Clay County Parks and Recreation and the City of Smithville, used a copper-based algae killer to eradicate the zebra mussel infestation in August 2010.

The Corps continues to monitor the lake for residual zebra mussels. None have been detected so far.

“Transporting invasive species like zebra mussels, emerald ash borers or silver carp from place to place can damage Missouri’s recreation, tourism and agriculture industries,” said MDC Invasive Species Coordinator Tim Banek.

For information about how to identify invasive species and how to avoid spreading them, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/node/4086.

Boaters, anglers should watch for zebra mussels

Image via Wikipedia

With the return of warm weather just around the corner, thousands of Missourians will be taking boats out of mothballs and preparing for fishing and pleasure boating trips. If you are among these, remember that Missouri waters still are at risk of infestation by zebra mussels. The most common way these economically and ecologically damaging pests enter new waters is by hitching a ride on boats or boat trailers.

Adult zebra mussels can live for several days out of water. Their microscopic larvae can survive for weeks in boat bilge water, live wells, engine cooling-water systems and bait buckets.

To help prevent the spread of zebra mussels:

• Inspect your boat and trailer thoroughly, and remove any trash, mussels or aquatic weeds after each outing.
• Drain water from the motor, live well, bilge and transom wells and other parts of your boat.
• Dump leftover bait in trash receptacles away from the water.
• Rinse boat, trailer and equipment (including live wells, bilge and cooling systems) thoroughly with hard spray from a garden hose, and allow to dry for at least 48 hours. If your boat or equipment was used in zebra mussel-infested waters, use a commercial car wash with hot water.
• Dry boat, motor, trailer and equipment thoroughly in the hot sun before using again.
• Learn to identify zebra mussels. Adults have a distinct triangular shell, with a striped pattern. They can reach 2 inches, but most are fingernail-sized.

To report a potential zebra mussel sighting or for additional information, contact a Department of Conservation office (see page 1 for a list of regional office phone numbers). For more information see below.