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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources header

DNR NEWS -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2014

DNR: Too many boaters not following aquatic invasive species laws

Violation rate too high, ramped up enforcement July 11-13 weekend

This summer, the Department of Natural Resources is finding too many boaters and other water users taking unacceptable and illegal risks by transporting aquatic invasive species (AIS).

So far this season, watercraft inspectors have found more than 1,300 boaters at public water accesses with aquatic plants, invasive animals or water in or on their boats and equipment. If not stopped, these boaters could have infested other lakes.

In addition, DNR conservation officers have issued 169 citations and 375 warning tickets to boaters for AIS violations at enforcement check stations and public accesses. Fines range from $100 to $500.

“Far too many people are still not following the law,” said Greg Salo, DNR central region enforcement manager. "Some of these laws have been on the books for more than 15 years and yet we’re still seeing a 26 percent violation rate at enforcement check stations. That's unacceptable. Violators should know better by now.”

During the weekend of July 11-13, the DNR will make an extra push to enforce the law. Anglers and boaters can expect watercraft inspectors and stepped up patrols. DNR conservation officers will be checking boats and equipment to make sure everyone is following Minnesota’s AIS laws.

Minnesota currently has 175 water bodies infested with zebra mussels.

“Every new infestation is extremely serious,” said Ann Pierce, DNR section manager for Ecological and Water Resources. “This means that it’s important for people to take responsibility, follow the laws, and protect the remaining more than 10,000 Minnesota waters. It’s still well worth the effort to protect the uncontaminated water bodies.”

In Minnesota is it illegal to:

Transport watercraft without the drain plug removed.

Arrive at lake access with drain plug in place.

Transport aquatic plants, zebra mussels, or other prohibited species, whether dead or alive.

Launch watercraft with prohibited species attached.

Transport water from Minnesota lakes or rivers.

Release live bait into the water.

All DNR-trained watercraft inspectors stationed around the state are authorized to help ensure boats and trailers are clean and free of AIS before entering or leaving a lake, river or other body of water. Whether they work for the DNR, or for a county or other local unit of government, inspectors are there to help make sure boaters are not in violation of AIS laws and protect our lakes and rivers.

The DNR has 23 decontamination units at various bodies of water in Minnesota. The agency concentrates inspectors and decontamination efforts at high-use bodies of water that are currently infested with AIS.

More information, including a 25 minute video titled “Aquatic Invasive Species, Minnesota Waters at Risk,” is available at: www.mndnr.gov/AIS.

[BobT]

I think part of the problem is that the law is trying to do something that really isn't possible to achieve. No matter how diligent a person is, unless they take the boat off the trailer and dip the entire boat into some kind of chemical to kill anything that might be contained on or in, there will be the potential to find invasive species on or in it.

When I come out of the lake I trailer my boat, pull it away from the landing, lower my outboard down and let it drain while I connect my trailer straps, remove my drain plug, drain my livewell, and pick whatever I can find off the trailer and boat bottom. However, no matter how hard I try, if an inspection is done, there's a fair chance that something could be found. Not only because things are able to hide but because some of them are in microscopic form.

For example...

Inside my motor not every last drop of water will drain completely out.

Inside the lower sections of my boat there may be up to a cup or more of water that didn't drain when I pulled my plug.

Between the grooves in my trailer rollers there could be some things still hanging on.

Inside the tube frame of my trailer one could find some remaining lake water.

Inside the fill and drain tubes of my livewell one could possibly find some things.

What about the carpeting on my floor?

Considering this leaves one conclusion. The law is excessive and we are all now criminals subject to potential fines or worse whether we try to do our best or not. For some, the conclusion will be "Why bother trying?"

Maybe the DNR and/or the state will one day pull their heads out of their behinds and address the problem rather than spending money and time wasted on band-aids to the problem.

[Gophereyes]

Well said BobT!

[DTro]

Yes you are right on the money Bob.

[harvey lee]

Totally agree Bob.

But, many are not even bothering to remove their plug when they leave the landing.

Between yesterday and today, I saw 3 different boats pull out of the water, then leave. They did not remove their plug and if they did have water in the live well, that also was not drained. None of the 3 even bothered to look for weeds.

I agree it will b hard to stop the spread of AIs but when people do not even try, it is all the harder or impossible to say the least.

If complying would help reduce the spread, maybe fining those who choose not to try and follow the rules might help.

I do exactly what you do Bob but if others don't even try, then I begin to wonder why I try except hopefully by trying, I may avoid a tag and a fine.

It will never work when people do not even try, but, they will also be the first to complain if they get tagged or if their clean lake becomes infested with any of the AIS.

If the DNR believes this will work, then they need to raise the fines heavy enough that it will force those who do not try to comply. Otherwise, just drop the program all together.

I have been checked at Washington I would guess 10 times in the past 2 years, they sure seem to like to check this lake for offenders.

Month or so ago, I pulled out and I saw the guy was there checking, I got so nerved up, I forgot to drop my motor to drain the water out, something I always do. Glad I did not get a tag as I always comply but that day, I was so concerned that I may miss a weed, I forgot one of the other things to do.

[ozzie]

So spot on it is amazing our law makers and enforcers can't see it the same way!! I always laugh at the inspections at the landings as they go over all the livewells and and the exterior of the boat but yet here sits my anchor rope with weeds and a weed or two on the carpet and yet they have never mentioned anything to me. now when I see these things I throw them out and try not to transfer weeds from one lake to another but like mentioned it is pretty much impossible to control and could fine even the cleanest of boats if they tried hard enough!

[walleyeman1]

They could give a fine to every boat that is on the water, it is impossible to get weeds or invasives on a bunk trailer, and like Bob said in the motor, there is water in there that does not completely drain. They are fining people that have done nothing wrong! Now I have no problem with obvious weeds or the plug is still in, but I have heard of tickets after they find one weed after inspecting for over 10 minutes. That is ridiculous. The fines are already to high!

[RumRiverRat]

Oh the Horror.

People leaving their plug in.

OH NOES!!!111!1!1!!!1

[harvey lee]

That is a typical reply from you RRR, I am sure you are one of those who leave the plug in, just because they cannot tell you to do anything.

It is not that hard to comply and just maybe if everyone did, maybe this could get slowed down a bit. But, if one chooses to not comply, then when their lake is infected, maybe a fine, they cry like a baby.

[irishwalleye]

It really doesn't matter if inspecting your boat works, it matters what those with the power think works.

You can comply voluntarily, or you comply by coercion. But you will comply. The DNR isn't going to decide some day that invasive species aren't a big deal.

Being as the privatization of "public" waters won't happen in my lifetime, the DNR will be forced to use all measures necessary to stop the spread of invasives. Increased fines, property seizure, closed accesses, increased taxes all are on the table.

[randerson]

What about the Duck or turtle traveling from lake to lake that may or may not have a invasive species on its body maybe we need to kill all the ducks and turtles too. Its mother nature running its course just like the milfoil scare in the 90's mother nature corrected that too. These clowns at the Wash stations powerwashed the registration tag right off my brothers boat

[RumRiverRat]

You do not have to let them powerwash your boat.

The DNR has completely failed to stop the spread of AIS.

Draconian actions taken now are too little way too late.

[harvey lee]

Yes, they have failed and many boat owners have helped in that failure as they refuse to comply. Not saying it would work if they all complied but it sure would help.

I look at it like this, maybe we can do what we can to try to stop or slow the spread.

We will never stop everyone from crossing the borders into this country but we still try to stop all we can.

Quitters never win and winner never quit, so they say.

[SkunkedAgain]

The DNR has completely failed to stop the spread of AIS.

A fine attitude to have, complaining that big government hasn't been able to do it. Internet forums are rife with those willing to pig pile without contributing to a fix.

Do your part to slow down or stop the spread of these things and quit whining. At least the DNR is trying to prevent our lakes and rivers from getting worse...and some of us complain about that.

[Down Deep]

I've heard enough about why the current regs won't work, but the DNR has said all along that what they are doing will not stop the spread, just slow it. So what do we do just let invasive spread unabated and then in 50 years our great grandchildren can look at our old photos and wonder what catching a bunch of fish was all about. Asian carp is a good enough example for me what letting an invasive run roughshod though a river system. If those lower Mississippi states and US Corps of Engineers would have got on the problem then the rivers to the south would be free of them. So while I know there are many ways nature will spread invasives, and that there will be some risidual water & weeds left in my boat I still think that doing something is better than nothing. I really don't give a rip that a lot people don't do it, but sooner or later they will get the idea. It took years for Catch & Release years to catch on. Short of looking for a total Government solution, what would you do to stop the invasives? Any better ideas?

[RumRiverRat]

Saving the lakes and rivers at the exspense of personal liberties and freedoms.

None for me thanks.

The massive data mining operation undertaken by the MN DNR rivals the NSA in the scope and magnitude.

All the inspectors with ZERO law enforcement authority punching in your vehicle make, model and plate number along with make, model and registration numbers of your boat is an invasion of privacy rivaled by no other government program.

When the Lake City fisheries office basically tells me that the pictures of dead Bighead Carp I took in Hansen's Harbor, Lake City Marina and along the old Stockholm pier are nothing to worry about back in 2012.

I officially quit caring about anything AIS related the MN DNR does.

The DNR is performing the single biggest charade ever witnessed.

[LMITOUT]

It's ridiculous the amount of money that is being wasted on this. Yesterday I read an article that the county was receiving a check from the state for almost $40,000 and they have no idea what to do with it. The state is just shoveling out this taxpayer money with no plan whatsoever.

But hey, it feels good and that's all that matters.

[20lbSloughShark]

But hey, it feels good and that's all that matters.

And thats the same thing with a lot of laws. They make some people feel like they are helping, but in reality, its not doing anything at all. I've been saying these new AIS laws are too little too late right from the start. Yes the laws have been in effect for a long time, but they were basically not enforced. Its not like we are really trying to stop the spread, its already here! I will continue to pull the plug, and clean the boat as I have been doing my whole life, but some of these fines are ridiculous. If you have zebra muscles growing on your prop, then fine, give the fool a $500 ticket. A fine for not exchanging bait water? I have never done it, and never will. If I get a citation, then fine. They should take all this effort and money, and find ways to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future.

[Duffman]

They should take all this effort and money, and find ways to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future.

[20lbSloughShark]

Changing bait water is not preventing anything

[Big Dave2]

Totally agree Bob.

But, many are not even bothering to remove their plug when they leave the landing.

Between yesterday and today, I saw 3 different boats pull out of the water, then leave. They did not remove their plug and if they did have water in the live well, that also was not drained. None of the 3 even bothered to look for weeds.

How on earth do you know that what they did was even causing a problem? Maybe that's the only lake the boat ever gets used on? Maybe there is no water in the bottom of the boat? My boat rarely has water in it and if it does it will be more likely rain water.

[Big Dave2]

So what do we do just let invasive spread unabated and then in 50 years our great grandchildren can look at our old photos and wonder what catching a bunch of fish was all about.

[pikerliker]

In the end I think we need to do what we can to prevent or at least slow the spread of the invasives. If there is something in my carpet or between my rollers that I can't see, then so be it. But if I can prevent some of it by pulling my boat plug and removing the visable weeds, ect. then why not do it? I personally can't stand apathy. The "why even try cause it aint gonna work" attitude. In my opinion you do as much as you can and maybe we figure something out in the mean time. You want to throw in the towel and give up then go ahead. As for me I'll do what I can.

[fivebucks]

Changing bait water is not preventing anything

The changing of the bait water is to help stop the spread of zebes. You get water from a zebe lake in your bait and there could be hundreds of zebe larva you cannot see and then presto - you plant zebes in the next lake. I see no difference in this or the $500 fine for having an adult zebe on your prop. Yes it is a PITA but if we can slow them down it will give science a chance to hopefully find cost effective treatments. Yes - it stands a decent chance of not working most of the time but not doing nothing is a 100% chance of failure.

[20lbSloughShark]

The changing of the bait water is to help stop the spread of zebes. You get water from a zebe lake in your bait and there could be hundreds of zebe larva you cannot see and then presto - you plant zebes in the next lake. I see no difference in this or the $500 fine for having an adult zebe on your prop. Yes it is a PITA but if we can slow them down it will give science a chance to hopefully find cost effective treatments. Yes - it stands a decent chance of not working most of the time but not doing nothing is a 100% chance of failure.

There's a few problems with this. The first is there is bait inside. No matter how hard you try, there will always be some left over on the bait, or in that bit of water that wont pour out. So right off the bat there is a 100% chance of failure. The next is nobody brings extra water to exchange it with. I don't, I never will, and I don't know a single person that does. Finally, what difference would it possibly make? My bait water stays in the bucket, Its not like I dump it in the lake. The difference between the two examples, is one you are clearly breaking the law. The other is only an assumption. Its like giving a speeding ticket to someone with a sports car because you assume at some point they will speed. This same thing can be said for lots of the new stupid laws. Unless you are clearly breaking the law with hanging weeds, zebra muscles, transporting live invasive fish, then leave people alone.