Invasive mussels intercepted on border

IDAHO/MONTANA BORDER — Idaho’s Department of Agriculture has intercepted three boats transporting invasive mussels on nearby roadways so far this year.

Idaho inspection stations opened on Feb. 3. The Cedars I-90 inspection station inspected about 20 motorized vessels in its first 12 days of operation. Of those, two boats carried mussels that had traveled clear across the state of Montana.

On May 2, a fouled boat was intercepted at the Jackpot station, traveling north into Idaho on Hwy. 93 from Lake Mead. Just two weeks before, on Thursday, Feb. 15, ISDA intercepted its first vessel, a U.S. Customs undercover interdiction boat moving from Sandusky, Ohio (Lake Erie) to the Bellingham, Wash. area. A second mussel-fouled boat was intercepted westbound on I-90, a Bureau of Homeland Security vessel, the same day.

According to Flathead Basin Commission Executive Director Caryn Miske, Montana inspection stations are not yet operational. Last year, in addition to the inspection stations in Ronan and Clearwater, the goal was to have an inspection station in the eastern part of the state on I-90, but the hours were limited. This year, Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hoping there will be a fully-operational inspection station there by May.

“It’s very alarming,” she said. “What we really need to do is have boat owners take precautions, drain and dry the boat, have it out of water for at least a couple weeks. These mussels can live a surprising amount of time out of the water.”

Last year, she said, Idaho intercepted 24-25 boats during the course of their field season, but they didn’t operate nearly this early. Of those boats, Miske believes 13 had traveled on I-90 before being intercepted in Idaho.

“Folks need to realize, if boaters launch dirty boats and we have an infestation, boat launches may be closed,” she said. “I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to not launch dirty boats.”