Fishing Forum

Went to the Utah Boat Show last Friday afternoon (no I didn't buy a new boat) and stoped by the Utah DWR booth. I had a lengthly conversation with one of the biologists working the Zebra Muscle education program at Flaming Gorge. She appeared to admire my shared concern to prevent this invasive species from entering prime fisheries in this state. I was quickly informed that Lake Powell does not have Zebra Muscles, yet Lake Mead and the headwaters of the Colorado River System do have them. I exercised my geographic prowess and asked the following question.
"If Lake Mead and the headwaters of the Colorado River SYSTEM are infected, how are we ever going to prevent them from infiltrating Lake Powell, Green River or Flaming Gorge? You have evidence of Zebra Muscle life at both ends of the ecosystem."

You should have seen the look on her face! [blush]

Her reply was "The only weapon to fight the spread of invasive species is through education". They presented me with a copy of the Aquatic Hitchhiker questionnaire which I promptly replied that I knew it well. She went on to say that the DWR is developing an online test for boaters (not just fishermen) similar to an ethics quiz that we can take "One Time" each year. Upon passing the test will be able to download a certificate that we can then place in our boats and tow vehicles indicating that we have successfully completed the education awareness training. This will then preclude completing the questionnaire on every trip to the Gorge. The online test is NOT available yet, but I was assured that it would be available prior to this fishing season.

I like the concept but who are we kidding here? Everyone will be able to pass this test. Everyone will be able to launch their boats. The Zebra Muscles will appear wherever and whenever they want. Let's be real about this, If I travel a great distance to fish Flaming Gorge, Utah or Wyoming side, what kind of greeting do I get if I'm told I must decontaminate my boat, motor and trailer prior to launching? I don't know personally what the cost is but I've heard that it runs about $150. WELCOME TO FLAMING GORGE!

I've read many posts already this year from out-of-staters wanting to know when to come fish our beloved Flaming Gorge. Be well aware of this requirement prior to launching. Even if there are no DWR employees available to meet you at the ramp, you must still complete the questionnaire!

This was my public service announcement. Thanks for your desire to read this post.
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Flaming Gorge is above any of the Colorado drainage so it makes some sense to try some prevention on the upper Green drainage. [:/]
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[font "Courier New"][#000050][size 3]The lady must be talking about a new test. I took a test online last summer, about invasive species and how to prevent them from spreading, and got a [url "http://vivid-dawn.50megs.com/random/anscertificate.jpg"]certificate[/url].
I don't have a boat, but the test also had general information, such as cleaning off waders and boots from streams (hot water or drying out for 7 days and 409 applied), so I figured it would be good for me to have. My printer wasn't working at the time... maybe I'll go see if I can find the test to take again, and print it now that I have ink!

(edit: now that I look at the date of 2008, I guess it was two years ago! I'm so senile! [crazy])
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Not just the Gorge.You have to fill out the zebra muscle paper on other Utah waters. I had a nasty letter on my truck at Deer Creek.They tried to keep crawdads from moving around and failed. I believe its just a matter of time before those nasty little shellfish are everywhere.
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Just what I need, another DAMN test to study for.[mad]
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Sounds like you're familiar with the process but just so other boaters know, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)certifications were supposed to be filled out and visible on dashes last year if you launched on the UT portion of the Gorge (or any other UT water for that matter). WY is in the process of getting their own AIS program going this coming season. It's pretty easy to fill-out and they're available at each of the launch ramps. If a boater has been in an infected water, indicated on the survey form, only then do they need to be disinfected. There are two to three disinfection units around the Gorge that are used to accomplish this- free of charge.

The online cert idea would just make it easier for UT boaters, educated about Invasive Species, to launch their boats in UT. The goal is to not make it easier for someone to lie and launch but easier for folks like yourself who are familiar with the program. You don't want to hear the same "tutorial" everytime you launch and the Techs working the ramps get busy enough that they need to devote their time to interviewing boaters from out-of-state or infected waters. I can see it's a pretty tough process to streamline when you're trying to protect so much.

Hopefully, the Gorge can just stay clean. It's dodged a few bullets including infested boats at Buckboard last year and Lucerne the year before.

Thanks for the post and reminder, Ryno
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Mussel veligers or larvae have been identified in Lake Granby, CO- the headwaters of the Colorado River.
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