Looks like we’re going to need more checkpoints—Game Fish & Parks’ effort to stop the spread of zebra mussels hasn’t stopped the infestation of Pickerel Lake:
“A suspected adult zebra mussel was found at the west boat ramp in Pickerel State Park early this morning by Dennis Skadsen, the project manager for the Northeast Glacial Lakes Watershed Improvement and Protection Project, while working on a project for Game, Fish and Parks,” said GFP region fisheries supervisor, Mark Ermer. “After confirming it to be a zebra mussel, Dennis Skadsen, conducted additional sampling and mussels were sampled near the East Pickerel Lake State Park boat ramp and the old fish hatchery site. We currently do not know the level of infestation, but crews will be sampling the lake next week.” Pickerel Lake is now considered “infested” for zebra mussels.
This is the first documented zebra mussel in the northeast, glacial lakes region [Doug Leier, “Zebra Mussels Confirmed in Pickerel Lake,” KFGO Radio, 2020.07.10].
How is it folks will tune in to watch Kristi Noem give bad advice about coronavirus on Fox News but ignore her practical guidance on stopping the spread of invasive aquatic species?
The Science tells us you cannot stop the virus or the mussels. We’re not making boaters lock up and stay home by banning boats. Eventually every lake will have the virus and the mussels. Stronger lakes will survive.
The lakes will be fine; it’s boats and water pipes and hydro-power plants that’ll get wrecked.
Hey Grudzy–back in the day in Europe and here in America, measles and mumps ran amuck and rampant also polio was a bad one. Did a president at that time simply wave his hand and state “One day it will just go away,” as your Trump has done. A great ‘war-time president’ he turned out to be, eh? Ran when the going got tough hollering over his shoulder “I commute my friends when they protect me and are convicted!”