Organizations across New York are banding together to study and combat the zebra mussel, a highly invasive freshwater species. In recognition of the state’s first Invasive Species Awareness Week, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced the DEC initiated an aquatic invasive species spread prevention pilot program this summer in cooperation with Paul Smith’s College and the East Shore Schroon Lake Association.

The pilot program will evaluate the flushing of a boat’s water holding compartments to prevent the spread of zebra mussel larvae and other microscopic aquatic invasive species that might be in the remnant water found in these areas of a boat.

“Boats that are not properly drained and dried prior to use are a major risk for spreading various aquatic invasive species from water body to water body,” said Martens. “This pilot program will evaluate the practicality and boater acceptance of flushing these water holding compartments prior to launching.”

As part of this effort, boat launch stewards at DEC boat launches on Cranberry Lake (St. Lawrence County), Second Pond (Franklin County), Great Sacandaga Lake (Fulton/Saratoga counties) and Schroon Lake will ask boaters to flush the bilge, livewells and baitwells if these areas contain remnant water from a prior boating trip.

Stewards will direct boaters that arrive with a boat hull infested with zebra mussels to a boat cleaning facility, or a marine repair shop that provides this service. The stewards will test various types of spray equipment that can be employed at boat launches that typically lack electricity and water. They will also assess the receptivity and responsiveness of boaters to this program.

The Zebra mussel is an invasive species originally found in Russia in 1769, but has since sprawled throughout Europe and into the Americas via commercial shipping. The Zebra mussel was first discovered in North America in Lake St. Clair of Canada in 1988. Ever since the Great Lakes and its surrounding watershed communities have been battling the species invasion.

Commercial and recreational boating helped spread the reach of the Zebra mussel, which anchors onto pre-existing colonies of native freshwater filter feeders- such as clams or mussels- the native species then cannot move, breathe, or feed, and slowly suffocate. The Zebra mussel is associated with the extinction of many native species of North America, and has spread as far south as Arkansas, and as far east as the Berkshires of Massachusetts.