The Reality of Invasive Species
By Craig Lamb

Once upon a time, the rampant spread of hydrilla and milfoil was viewed upon favorably by bass fishermen. The common belief was more plants meant more habitat and better bass fishing.

It didn’t take long for Mother Nature to defy that well-intending theory.
Hydrilla and milfoil are now part of a growing, misfit and menacing family called “aquatic invasive species.” Governments and municipalities spend a collective $135 billion each year to control the spread of plants and animals hitchhiking across the nation to bass fisheries large and small.

Giant salvinia, a noxious plant native to South America, can double its size in less than two days. Anglers have reported entire coves so infested with the plant that access to previously productive fishing water is now impossible. Zebra mussels have been around the Great Lakes since the early 1980s, contributing to the recently improved water clarity in Lake Erie. The benefit was short term, as clearer water has increased vegetative growth and in turn, covered surfaces of bays with thick blankets of aquatic weeds.

The feel-good attitude about “exotics” has now changed, although the transportation method leading to their accidental spread remains central to the problem.

The list is growing increasingly complex, ranging from flying carp that can knock you overboard, to a mussel that restricted access to a southern California lake, where many believe the next world record largemouth swims.

In the latter case, anglers viewed the decision to close Lake Casitas for twelve months to trailered boats as a knee-jerk reaction. The 2007-2008 decision could have a domino effect, as resource managers leverage their enforcement and regulatory powers.

The quagga mussel was the culprit, discovered dangerously close to Casitas in the Colorado River, after it hop-scotched its way from the Great Lakes. Casitas is first and foremost a drinking water supply reservoir for the region, prompting the closure and forcing tournament organizers to reschedule or cancel key events there.

The invaders aren’t taking over the waterways on their own. Boats and trailers carry and deposit undesirable plants and animals to new territory, throwing the entire aquatic ecosystem out of balance. Until now, the easy solution was to blame resource managers. In reality, the first line of defense should be the boaters and anglers who can take simple measures to prevent the spread of undesirable species.

“These plants and animals are so complex and prolific and they don’t fall into the business plan of managing recreational resources,” notes Tim Cook, conservation director for the Texas BASS Federation Nation. “Some already are out of control and others are spreading silently and rapidly, before control measures can be effective and in place.”

Cook leads an exemplary conservation outreach program between bass clubs, government and sportsmen groups in Texas. He believes that bass clubs should take a proactive approach, setting an example for public and state government in the fight against aquatic nuisance species.

“As clubs we should police ourselves,” he notes. “Club anglers are on the water more frequently than others, and we should all be aware of changes in the aquatic environment.”

Cook advocates leveraging the power of numbers, as club members create plans to collectively monitor their home lakes, staying on the lookout for the unusual.

“If you see a plant or animal you don’t recognize, take a picture of it with your camera phone and email or show the image to a biologist,” he adds. “Invite the biologist overseeing your home lake to a club meeting. Develop a relationship with at least the resource guy in charge of the lake. The power of that network builds into a powerful first line of defense against the problem.”

The spread of aquatic invasive species is accidental, for the most part. However, invasive species have few predators. They can out-compete native species for space and food. This can lead to a reduction of native species, especially game fish populations, and can make some lakes and rivers unsuitable for boating due to excessive vegetation coverage. Some species of plants and mussels can ruin boat engines and steering equipment by entangling propellers or attaching themselves to boat equipment, resulting in large repair bills for boaters. Overall invasive species degrade natural ecosystems and impair the value and uses of the water bodies where they are found.

Some bass clubs have already taken the proactive approach. In South Dakota, the Cooperative Boat Wash Program evolved after clubs united with the state Game, Fish and Parks department. A public awareness campaign and cooperative relationships between car washes and the state is addressing the issue at the source. The targets of the program range from zebra mussels to milfoil.

With the billions spent by state and federal fisheries management agencies, Cook points out introductions of invasive species can hit the angler where it hurts the most.

“Funding for aquatic invasive species programs falls on state budgets that already are tight,” he says. “Money earmarked for good things, like habitat improvement and public access, can get diverted to critical issues like controlling the invasive species.”

Clubs can nip the problem beginning at the boat ramp. Add a quick walking inspection of the trailered boat to the habitual process of securing transom savers and boat cover tie-downs. Be sure the drain plug has been removed to allow all water to withdraw from the bilge.

The problem can also manifest itself inside livewells where tournament-caught fish are held until weigh-in. Aerator pumps can add water containing diseases and harmful organisms that you can’t even see.

“Unless you completely drain all livewells, you can become part of the problem,” says Cook.

He recommends using Sure-Life Catch-and-Release formula as directed. The formula contains two compounds that prevent the spread of the deadly VHS (Viral Hemorragic Septicimia) and LMBV (largemouth bass virus). What’s more, a disinfectant in the formula effectively kills both zebra and quagga mussels in all stages of their life cycle.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a leading advocate about public awareness of controlling the spread of aquatic invasive species. Follow these guidelines to do your part to keep undesirable “exotics” from spreading harm to the aquatic environment.

Clean your equipment, including your boat’s engine cooling system, live wells, and bilge with hot tap water (at least 104° F). If hot water is not available, spray equipment such as boats, motors, trailers, anchors and nets with high-pressure water.

Make sure that your boat and other equipment is allowed to dry for at least 5 days before using it in other waters.

For equipment that cannot be exposed to hot water, either dip it in vinegar for 20 minutes or in a 1-percent saltwater solution for 24 hours.

Even if you think the waterway is pristine, there may be an invasive species that has not yet been discovered. There are hundreds of different harmful species ranging from plants, fish, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks, diseases or pathogens. Some organisms are so small that you may not even realize they are hitching a ride with you.

Remove any visible plant matter, animals, mud, and dirt from your boat, trailer, and all equipment that was exposed to the water. Even plant fragments and dirt may contain tiny hitchhikers.

Doing your part in a small way can have big dividends in the long run.