New Report Details Battle Against Invasive Marine Species

Hundreds of boats were found to be contaminated by invasive marine species last year, according to a new report from the Oregon Marine Board.

The report details efforts by the board and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to enforce the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program enacted by the state legislature six years ago.

The program is focused on protecting the state's waterways from the economic and environmental devastation experienced in the midwest from the invasive quagga and zebra mussels.

In 2015, ODFW conducted 12,953 watercraft inspections and found that 281 had been contaminated with invaders.

Of those, 207 were contaminated aquatic legations, 33 with marine organisms, and 29 with freshwater organisms.

The remaining 12 had either quagga or zebra mussels that were traced to Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wisconsin.

The report also details how ODFW and the marine board expanded their education efforts and increased the number of contacts they had with boaters.

In 2015, officers had 47,781 contacts with boaters, most of whom where found to be in compliance with rules though 810 warnings were issued along with 356 citations.

For more information about the Aquatic Invasive Species Program, visit www.boatoregon.com or http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/invasive_species/quagga_zebra_mussel.asp.