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Aquatic Nuisances "Slowing the Spread…Aquatic Nuisance Species Education in Dickinson County, MI" Boat Launch Education Targeting Aquatic Nuisance Species In Dickinson County Dickinson county’s economy thrives on tourism brought in by fishing, boating and other recreational activities on our local lakes. Residents of the county also benefit from the abundance of waterways for leisure activities and the natural beauty they provide. Our lakes are increasingly threatened by non-native aquatic nuisance species that have been introduced into our lakes. These species displace natural species and diversity, interrupt the food chain for fish and animals, and make boating, swimming and fishing difficult. The Dickinson County Lakes and Streams Coalition and the Dickinson Conservation District realized that the level of impact was significant in several county lakes and that while complete control might never be possible, public education might help slow the spread of aquatic nuisance species. A Boat Launch Education Program was introduced to help inform boaters and lake users about the dangers of aquatic nuisance species and the things they can do to stop the spread further. We found that most boaters could not identify Eurasian Milfoil and Zebra Mussels when the education program began. Grants from WE Energies and the Great Lake Habitat Network helped support this program in 2004. Aquatic exotics in the Great Lakes that are making their way inland: Purple Loosestrife Zebra Mussel Rainbow Smelt Tubenose Goby Fishhook Waterflea Sea Lamprey Spiny Waterflea Eurasian Watermilfoil Alewife Lumholtzi waterflea Round Goby Echinogammarus Where did they come from? Most Aquatic Invasive Species are native to the Baltic Sea region and hitchhiked into the U.S. via ballast water or were released by pet owners into natural waters. Zebra Mussels - Dreissena polymorpha Zebra Mussels entered the Great Lakes through ballast water and have been transferred to inland lakes in recent years. They clog water intakes, filter feed on vital phytoplankton, foul beaches, encrust any stationary object…including native clams. Millions of dollars are spent annually to remove zebra mussels from public and industrial water systems. Adults are fingernail size with light and dark stripes. Microscopic zebra mussel spawn (velligers) are easily transferred to other lakes in bilge water, bait water, scuba gear... A drop of water can hold a thousand velligers! Adult mussels stick to vegetation, boats and just about anything. They can be easily transported from lake to lake. Lakes infested in Dickinson County: Lake Antoine. Research is on-going regarding control methods for Zebra Mussels, but right now, the best control is to make sure Zebra Mussels don’t catch a ride with you! What YOU Can Do to Slow the Spread: INSPECT your boat and equipment and remove all aquatic plants from your trailer, boat— anywhere they might be. DRAIN all water from the boat, motor, bilge, live well and bait wells. DISPOSE of leftover bait in a trash bin, not back into the water. RINSE the boat and fishing equipment with hot (at least 104 degrees or higher) water, OR thoroughly dry your boat and your fishing equipment— leave them in the sun for at least five days before heading back out on the water. Eurasian Watermilfoil - Myriophyllum spicatum Delicate feather-like leaves. Leaflets are mostly the same length Leaves are usually limp when out of water Leaves arranged in whorls (circles) of 3 to 5 around stem. Usually 12 to 21 leaflet pairs per leaf. Long spaghetti –like stems. Stems pink in color. Why is it a problem? Non-native aquatic plant that grows rapidly and overtakes natural vegetation Interrupts natural food chain of lake Makes fishing, boating and swimming more difficult How Eurasian Milfoil spreads… Milfoil spreads by fragmentation. Pieces as small as 2” can grow, from roots and become a new plant. Therefore raking, harvesting and boat traffic causes new plants to grow and increases infestation. Dickinson County Lakes infested with EWM: Lake Antoine Sawyer Lake Bass Lake Cowboy Lake Carney Lake Lake Mary Hamilton Lake Hanbury Lake Norway Lake Can Eurasian Milfoil be controlled? Several Lakes in the County (Sawyer Lake, Bass Lake, Carney Lake, Hamilton Lakes) have treated their lakes to control Eurasian Milfoil. Biological control in the form of a tiny native aquatic weevil that prefers to eat Eurasian Milfoil works in lakes that have a serious infestation, proper water chemistry, and adequate natural shoreline. The Weevils are patented and available from EnviroScience, Inc. (www.enviroscienceinc.com). Chemical control is possible with herbicides such as 2,4-D and Flouridone, but requires a permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The MDEQ Aquatic Nuisance Control Office can be contacted by phone (517) 241-7734 or email: [email protected]. Herbicide treatment has averaged about $500 per acre and will likely need to be repeated in succeeding years. There is no government money available for the treatment of individual lakes for aquatic nuisance species. Money is typically raised through a lake association or special tax assessment district. For information on how to form a lake association, contact the Michigan Lakes & Streams Associations, Inc. www.mlswa.org Boat Launch Education In 2004, the Dickinson Conservation District and the Dickinson County Lakes & Streams Coalition, with the help of grants from WE Energies and the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network, organized summer students and lake residents for a Boat Launch Education Program. Educators were present at boat launches to inform boaters about aquatic nuisance species and assist with cleaning boats. Controlling the transport of these species is key to preventing further infestation and preventing re-introduction to lakes that have been treated for Eurasian Milfoil. Summer 2004 Totals Total hours spent at Boat Launches- 233.35 Total Number of Boats Contacted- 392 Total Number of People Contacted- 901 To report a new sighting of Eurasian Water Milfoil or Zebra Mussels in Dickinson County, Call or bring a specimen to Dickinson Conservation District: 102 N. Hooper Street, Kingsford (906) 7748441 Please be on the lookout for these other exotic species… Purple Loosestrife - Lythrum salicaria Invades ditches and wetlands. Violet-purple flower spikes in late summer can release thousands of seeds each. Control within first 2 years is easiest. Manually digging roots, removing flower heads, and herbicide are control options. Waterfleas - These organisms encrust fishing line. Bythotrephes cederstroemi (BC) Daphnia lumholtzi (Lumholtzi waterflea) Cercopagis pengoi (Fishhook waterflea) Rusty Crayfish Can grow to 6+” long, have red spot on carapice Have replaced most native crayfish Reproduce at a higher rate than native crayfish Over-eat certain plants Exotic fish species… Roughy Round Goby Hydrilla verticillata Additional Sites for Information Michigan Sea Grant Great Lakes Information Network The National Protect Your Waters Program