Zebra Mussels presence increasing up north

[smartguy]

Another potentially SERIOUS infestation of zebra mussels has again hit the Brainerd area:

From the Brainerd Dispatch

Zebra mussels found in Rice Lake

DNR worried about Mississippi River

By VINCE MEYER

Outdoors Editor

Zebra mussels have been found in Brainerd's Rice Lake, a discovery that's "extremely serious for the Mississippi River," said Gary Montz, zebra mussel coordinator for the DNR.

Gil Millette, a 14-year-old Brainerd boy, found a single mussel last Sunday on a bait bucket hanging from his family's dock on Rice Lake, a 400-acre impoundment on the Mississippi River. Gil showed the mussel to his father, Hank, who took it to the Brainerd DNR office Monday. Three DNR staffers searched Rice Lake near the Millette property and found more of the invasive mussels.

"The presence of zebra mussels poses a major risk to the river downstream," Montz said. "It's likely they're established in other parts of the river or adjacent backwaters."

Zebra mussels are now present in the St. Croix River, Mississippi River south of the Twin Cities, Zumbro River, Lake Mille Lacs and Crow Wing County's Lake Ossawinnamakee and Pelican Brook.

Karen Millette, Gil's mother, said Ed Feiler, lake management specialist for the DNR, told her the mussels might have got into the Mississippi River through its connection to Ossawinnamakee. Its outlet, Pelican Brook, flows into the Pine River, which flows into the Mississippi. But, Montz said, "we'll never really know" how the mussels got into Rice Lake.

Zebra mussels have serious impacts on lakes and rivers because they kill native mussels, the DNR said. Fish are affected because the mussels filter water and remove the plankton and invertebrates fish need to survive. Swimmers are cut by the sharp shells. Businesses and utilities that use Mississippi River water are affected when mussels block pipes and reduce water flow.

Ironically, this most recent discovery occurred during the state-proclaimed Invasive Species Awareness Month.

"It points out the importance of stopping aquatic hitchhikers by cleaning boats and not transporting water from infested waters," Montz said.

According to the DNR, boaters should take the following precautions to prevent the spread of zebra mussels:

% Carefully remove all aquatic plants from watercraft, trailers and equipment.

% Drain all water from live wells, bilges and bait buckets before leaving a boat ramp.

% Wash boats in hot water or let them dry thoroughly for five days before launching on another lake or river.

Follow the above precautions for any recreational equipment, including docks, rafts and other gear.

Can we win this battle?

[blacksheep]

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mussels might have got into the Mississippi River through its connection to Ossawinnamakee. Its outlet, Pelican Brook, flows into the Pine River, which flows into the Mississippi.

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oh you think?, so they knew a lake that was connected to the river had them but never thought that they might get into the river?. talk about rediculous.

[brian6715]

No offense to anyone on here, but it just seems to me it's always to little, to late... with our MN DNR.

[Maximum12]

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No offense to anyone on here, but it just seems to me it's always to little, to late... with our MN DNR.

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Not a fan of the DNR? Blame your fellow fishermen, jet skiers, pleasure boaters, & anyone else who is on the water. Barring a comprehensive, twenty-minute inspection of every boat that leaves the water on every landing in the state, I'm not sure there's a lot the DNR can do about it.

[brian6715]

What about the big head carp that is projected to completly destroy our states fishery?

What about the cormorant problem that's destroying all of the lakes in Rice County? Cannon Lake was voted into the top 10 walleye lakes in the state 5 years ago according to Minnesota Sportsman. Now go out there and see if you can catch a Walleye or two on a normal basis. Then drive over to Wells Lake which is connected to this lake and check out the island. You might see a black bird or two or maybe 10,000 of them... now hit one of these with your car and find 3 Walleyes in it. What does the DNR do to help the Walleye fishing on Cannon Lake? They just keep stocking it, and stocking it, and stocking it. Thousands of our tax dollars going into bird food... almost 6 million walleye fry since 2000. I don't want to sound negative here there are a lot of good things that the DNR does, and I know they cant stop everything. But maybe they need to stop spending so much in stocking and put it more into research.

These things are destroying our fishing...

[PerchJerker]

Cormorants are federally protected, I don't think there's much the Minnesota DNR or citizens can do about them unless they're feeding at an aquaculture facility. I'm not sure what spending DNR money on cormorant research would do. It sure wouldn't bother me to never see another cormorant though.

Also, as someone who used to live not too far from Cannon Lake and used to fish it quite a bit in summer and winter, it was an OK walleye lake and even good for the area, but it was never a top 10 lake (regardless of what MN Sportsman may have said about it).