Invasive Species
When it comes to invasive species you can count on government agencies, lake associations, and naive idealists to screw things up. It’s a relatively common chain of events. First the invasive is discovered. Then...
the agencies, associations and individuals start jumping up and down screaming that something needs to be done. Then they start touting all the potential programs that need to be implemented to stem the invasion. Then a bunch of money gets thrown at the problem with limited results. People point fingers and assign blame and everyone learns to live with the situation.
Take a look at Wisconsin. The 2011 Landing Blitz began Thursday, June 30th and continued through Monday, July 4th. The Blitz sent watercraft inspectors out to landings to share prevention information with the boaters and anglers enjoying the lakes. The inspectors made sure there were no Zebra mussels, milfoil or baby Godzillas attached to the boat or trailer. Of course, if the boater had been in a lake with milfoil prior to launching in another lake, just firing up the motor could spread the exotic species. Surprisingly, well maybe not, the spread of exotics doesn’t seem to be slowing down despite these noble efforts.
Here’s a good one. Because the Zebra mussel has so many well-intentioned individuals freaked out in Minnesota, a group on the west side of the Twin Cities metro area wants to gate the public accesses on a few of the lakes there. You have to put your boat through a thorough washing in a “nearby” park to get the code for the gate. These activists should be sending the money they will be putting into this wasted effort towards ridding the Hawaiian islands of feral cats and mongoose to protect the rare birds over there. That has a better chance of working.
The problem is invasive species are hearty and prolific. Zebra mussel larvae are microscopic and can be transported from one body to another via waterfowl. We’re going to need shotgunners spaced at 50 yard intervals around every lake in every state picking off ducks and geese that aren’t wearing a tag that says they were inspected. Anyone thinking about volunteering for this duty needs to realize that waterfowl are tough to hit, so you have to be a great shot.
When it comes to existing invasive species the best we can do is hope it’s awhile before our favorite lake gets hit. When it does, whatever that invasive species is will be joining the carp, the rusty crayfish, the curly-leaf pondweed, the spiny water flea, milfoil, lamprey, zebra mussels and a ton of other unwanted exotic species that wishful thinkers believed they could slow or stop.
Is there a solution? It must begin with the reasons these exotic species are getting here in the first place. The penalties for boats to bring in ballast water full of invasive species is marginal. People who smuggle in exotic species get a slap on the hand, if they get caught. The solution is to look at the reason this happens and make it impossible for it to happen again.
In the mean time, learn to live with the existing exotic species and keep them in check as best you can without destroying the liberties that exist. Blocking boat landings will cost a lot, won’t work and create a lot of enemy lists. The problem is that when the do-gooders get into their emotional mode, which is where invasive species puts them, they lose what little common sense they have. And the result is that the outdoor user suffers.
Take a look at Wisconsin. The 2011 Landing Blitz began Thursday, June 30th and continued through Monday, July 4th. The Blitz sent watercraft inspectors out to landings to share prevention information with the boaters and anglers enjoying the lakes. The inspectors made sure there were no Zebra mussels, milfoil or baby Godzillas attached to the boat or trailer. Of course, if the boater had been in a lake with milfoil prior to launching in another lake, just firing up the motor could spread the exotic species. Surprisingly, well maybe not, the spread of exotics doesn’t seem to be slowing down despite these noble efforts.
Here’s a good one. Because the Zebra mussel has so many well-intentioned individuals freaked out in Minnesota, a group on the west side of the Twin Cities metro area wants to gate the public accesses on a few of the lakes there. You have to put your boat through a thorough washing in a “nearby” park to get the code for the gate. These activists should be sending the money they will be putting into this wasted effort towards ridding the Hawaiian islands of feral cats and mongoose to protect the rare birds over there. That has a better chance of working.
The problem is invasive species are hearty and prolific. Zebra mussel larvae are microscopic and can be transported from one body to another via waterfowl. We’re going to need shotgunners spaced at 50 yard intervals around every lake in every state picking off ducks and geese that aren’t wearing a tag that says they were inspected. Anyone thinking about volunteering for this duty needs to realize that waterfowl are tough to hit, so you have to be a great shot.
When it comes to existing invasive species the best we can do is hope it’s awhile before our favorite lake gets hit. When it does, whatever that invasive species is will be joining the carp, the rusty crayfish, the curly-leaf pondweed, the spiny water flea, milfoil, lamprey, zebra mussels and a ton of other unwanted exotic species that wishful thinkers believed they could slow or stop.
Is there a solution? It must begin with the reasons these exotic species are getting here in the first place. The penalties for boats to bring in ballast water full of invasive species is marginal. People who smuggle in exotic species get a slap on the hand, if they get caught. The solution is to look at the reason this happens and make it impossible for it to happen again.
In the mean time, learn to live with the existing exotic species and keep them in check as best you can without destroying the liberties that exist. Blocking boat landings will cost a lot, won’t work and create a lot of enemy lists. The problem is that when the do-gooders get into their emotional mode, which is where invasive species puts them, they lose what little common sense they have. And the result is that the outdoor user suffers.