Monitoring & Prevention

Recreational Users

Zebra and quagga mussels are capable of attaching to almost any hard substrate, including boats and any gear that has been left in water. When watercraft and equipment are moved from an infested body of water, invasive mussels may be moved too, if no preventative measures are taken.

Clean, Drain, Dry

Inspect and clean off any visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from all equipment before leaving water access.
Drain motor, bilge, livewell, and other water containing devices before leaving water access.
Dry everything for five days or more or wipe with a towel before reuse. Drying times may vary depending on the climate of an area.

How to Clean, Drain, Dry non-motorized watercraft:

Video Credit: Northern Forest Canoe Trail

How to Clean, Drain, Dry motorized boats and trailers:

Video Credit: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

For recreational equipment/boats that have been left in water bodies for more than a day, more thorough decontamination protocols should be followed:

If you have access to a 140F hot water spray, complete a low flow rinse for 10 seconds on each part of the boat, trailer and equipment that came in contact with the water to kill any possible AIS. If possible, flush the motor interior with 120F water for 130 seconds. Afterwards if mussels or other debris are still stuck on, use a high pressure rinse to remove them.
If you do not have access to a hot water spray, let the boat, trailer and equipment completely dry for 5 days. Be sure to lay out all gear that could harbor moisture (nets, ropes, etc.) to ensure it dries fully.

Larval mussels, or veligers, can survive in small amounts of standing water for several days. It is important to thoroughly drain, dry, and decontaminate gear and boats before using them in another body of water. Always use hot (>140°F) water whenever possible; hot water kills invasive species, while high pressure will remove them from a surface.

See the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force’s Voluntary Guidelines for recreational users for more information about additional steps you can take to prevent the spread of invasive mussels!

Watercraft Inspections

Several states utilize watercraft inspections as another line of protection against the spread of invasive mussels. At inspection stations, boats are checked to ensure that there are no invasive species, visible or not, attached to the watercraft. Click below to learn more about these programs: