Adirondack Sports July 2023

JULY 2023 19
RECREATION
Protect Our Waters
Help Prevent the Spread
of Aquatic Invasive Species
▲ INVASIVE ROUND
GOBY. NYS DEC
By Erik Reardon
▲ DENSE MAT OF
WATER CHESTNUT.
NYS DEC
2021 LAKE CHAMPLAIN BASIN PROGRAM
STATE OF THE LAKE.
As paddling, boating and fishing
season kicks into high gear,
New York residents and seasonal
visitors look forward to a summer season
on the water, spending quality time
with family and friends pursuing the
elusive trophy-sized trout or salmon on
Lake Ontario, enjoying a quiet paddle in
the Adirondacks, navigating the scenic
Hudson River, and everything in between.
With over 7,000 lakes and ponds and
some 70,000 miles of rivers and streams,
New York’s freshwater ecosystems offer
seemingly endless opportunities for outdoor
recreation, but also support a diversity
of wildlife, provide drinking water for
nearby towns, and figure prominently
within the region’s sense of place.
To protect these waters for generations
to come, it is critically important
to guard against the threat of Aquatic
Invasive Species. Invasive species are
plants, animals, and pathogens that are
non-native to a particular ecosystem and
have been demonstrated to cause harm
to the environment, economy or human
health. Invasive species can negatively
impact ecosystems in a number of ways:
they divert resources from native species,
alter habitats, impact water quality, and
interfere with recreational activities. In
addition to these and other ecological
impacts, invasive species negatively affect
communities that rely on fishing, boating,
and other forms of outdoor recreation that
often support economic development.
Initial aquatic invasive species introductions
to North America historically
occurred through trans-Atlantic cargo
ships releasing ballast water in the Great
Lakes. From there, people can unintentionally
introduce non-native or invasive
species during overland transport
of boats, trailers, and other recreational
watercraft and equipment. Other
common pathways for invasive species
expansion include bait bucket transfer,
fishing equipment, aquarium dumping,
and connected waterways and canals.
Fragments of invasive plants like Eurasian
watermilfoil or hydrilla can hitchhike on
boats and trailers and once introduced to
a waterbody, establish a new infestation
that requires significant time and money
to manage, control or eradicate.
To address the challenge of aquatic
hitchhikers on kayaks, canoes and SUPs
– one of the more common pathways
for introduction and expansion of invasive
species – NYS DEC, the Adirondack
Watershed Institute, and the Lake
Champlain Basin Program, fund and
administer a network of Boat Launch
Stewards that inspect watercraft, offer free
hot water, high pressure decontamination
services, and help educate the public
about how they can help prevent the
spread of aquatic invasive species. This
message emphasizes spread prevention
by following Clean, Drain, Dry protocols
for all recreational equipment that come
into contact with the water.
Clean any visible mud, plants, fish or
animals before transporting equipment.
Drain all water holding compartments
including ballast tanks, live wells and
bilge areas.
Dry boats, trailers and all equipment
before use in another waterbody. The
most effective way to ensure that no invasive
species or fish diseases are transported
to a new body of water is to completely
dry your boating and fishing equipment,
compartments including ballast tanks,
live wells and bilge areas.
Surveys organized by the Adirondack
Park Invasive Plant Program and Vermont
Invasive Patroller Program, indicate
▲ STEWARDS INSPECT AND
SPRAY DOWN BOATS, LOOKING
FOR INVASIVE SPECIES.
ADIRONDACK WATERSHED
INSTITUTE
that 75% of lakes in the
Adirondacks and 80% of
lakes in Vermont are currently
free of aquatic invasive
species. By following
Clean, Drain, Dry practices
and taking advantage of a
free inspection or decontamination
offered by a Boat
Launch Steward, we can all
ensure these waters continue
to support native biodiversity and attract
and inspire new generations of anglers,
paddlers and boaters.
To learn more about best practices
associated with Clean, Drain, Dry, visit:
stopaquatichitchhikers.org.
Lastly, the recent arrival of round goby
to the Hudson River has brought renewed
attention to the economic and ecological
disruptions that accompany new introductions
of aquatic invasive species by
bait bucket transfer and unassisted expansion
of invasive fish movement through
waterways. The goby is a voracious eater
and prolific reproducer. Females can lay
eggs every 20 days during spawning season,
from April to September. This incredible
reproductive rate enables the goby to
outcompete native benthic species of fish
like sculpin and darter, which inevitably
reduces biodiversity on the bottom of
lakes, ponds, rivers, and other freshwater
ecosystems.
In addition, research scientists have
documented round goby consuming
the eggs of important game fish including
bass, land-locked salmon, lake trout
and walleye. Stakeholder groups and
state agencies – including the NYS DEC
and the NYS Canal Corporation – are
currently investing significant time and
resources to explore proactive strategies
that will mitigate the goby from advancing
up the Champlain Canal, while also raising
awareness about existing bait fishing
regulations, ensuring anglers are able to
positively identify round goby, and avoid
unintentionally introducing them into
a new waterbody. For more information
about New York’s bait fishing regulations,
visit: dec.ny.gov/outdoor/124974.html.
Ultimately, aquatic invasive species
spread prevention requires a collective
effort and shared sense of responsibility
between state agencies, environmental
organizations, recreational user groups,
and the general public. This culture of
shared stewardship, relevant across a
whole host of environmental conservation
challenges, offers the best path forward for
the region’s freshwater ecosystems and the
communities that visit and enjoy them.
Erik Reardon (erik.reardon@dec.ny.gov)
is an Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach
Specialist with NYS Department of
Environmental Conservation and Lake
Champlain Basin Program.