08-13-2007, 10:39 PM
[cool][#0000ff]You are right about having to wait to see the full impact of the infestation. It can be either better or worse in any given water.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You are also right about the mussels not having an immediate effect on the fishing in some cases. There are places around the great lakes where the clearer water has resulted in more weed growth and overall better fishing...for the adult fish. But, the spawn survival rates are usually way down, because of the aforementioned decrease in zooplankton and nutrients. The long term effects will show up later...with fewer fish in the system.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you go to your favorite search engine and plug in anything about zebra mussels or quagga mussels you will get hundreds of pages of website links to studies, reports and articles on the subjects. Many of those are done by individual states and universities, in states where there are already infestations or they are just worried about them. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]ALMOST UNIVERSALLY the reports are for adverse affects on fisheries. This is not just heresay from some folks who wish it wasn't true.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You suggested that it was Utah's fault for not putting a border checkpoint, and turning back all out of state boats...or requiring them to pass inspection...or whatever. Hey, we can't even keep out terrorists or illegal immigrants. How are we going to keep out those little critters that we can't even see when they are hidden on boats or other watercraft?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I can assure everyone that Utah DWR has been in a blind panic about the quagga mussels, even before they were officially discovered in Lake Mead. And, once they were discovered, all possible avenues have been discussed for preventing their spread into other waters. But...two things have doomed their efforts. One...no money for a program. Two...boaters just do not get the picture. They either don't know or don't care about cleaning their boats and stopping the spread of those mussels. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]WHO ME? NO WAY! I don' got no steenking mussels. Now lemme launch my big boat so I can drink more beer and burn more gas. [/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You are also right about the mussels not having an immediate effect on the fishing in some cases. There are places around the great lakes where the clearer water has resulted in more weed growth and overall better fishing...for the adult fish. But, the spawn survival rates are usually way down, because of the aforementioned decrease in zooplankton and nutrients. The long term effects will show up later...with fewer fish in the system.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you go to your favorite search engine and plug in anything about zebra mussels or quagga mussels you will get hundreds of pages of website links to studies, reports and articles on the subjects. Many of those are done by individual states and universities, in states where there are already infestations or they are just worried about them. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]ALMOST UNIVERSALLY the reports are for adverse affects on fisheries. This is not just heresay from some folks who wish it wasn't true.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You suggested that it was Utah's fault for not putting a border checkpoint, and turning back all out of state boats...or requiring them to pass inspection...or whatever. Hey, we can't even keep out terrorists or illegal immigrants. How are we going to keep out those little critters that we can't even see when they are hidden on boats or other watercraft?[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I can assure everyone that Utah DWR has been in a blind panic about the quagga mussels, even before they were officially discovered in Lake Mead. And, once they were discovered, all possible avenues have been discussed for preventing their spread into other waters. But...two things have doomed their efforts. One...no money for a program. Two...boaters just do not get the picture. They either don't know or don't care about cleaning their boats and stopping the spread of those mussels. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]WHO ME? NO WAY! I don' got no steenking mussels. Now lemme launch my big boat so I can drink more beer and burn more gas. [/#0000ff]
[signature]