Patrick Administration Environmental Agencies Release Action Plan to Prevent Zebra Mussel Spread

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and DFG’s Office of Fishing and Boating Access (OFBA) today released an Interim Zebra Mussel Action Plan that includes a comprehensive set of regulatory measures and outreach activities designed to prevent the spread of this invasive species to other Bay State water bodies. The interim plan - key parts of which will be implemented through a long-term OFBA management measure also proposed today - is in response to the first documented occurrence of zebra mussels in a Massachusetts water body in July. State agencies will solicit feedback from outside stakeholders and reassess the plan before the start of the 2010 boating season.

“The spread of zebra mussels can have devastating effects on native water bodies, as other regions of the country can attest,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. “I commend DCR and DFG for working in partnership with the lake and ponds associations, sportsmen’s groups, and local officials in Berkshire County to develop a comprehensive plan to protect the Commonwealth’s precious water resources.”

In early July, zebra mussels were confirmed in Laurel Lake in Lee and Lenox – the first confirmed presence of the invasive species in Massachusetts. On July 8, DFG closed the state boat ramp at Laurel Lake and then authorized municipalities to enforce limited restrictions on the use of boat ramps at other Berkshire County water bodies deemed at-risk to infestation by the species. On August 12, OFBA issued a proposal for public comment to extend the temporary closure of Laurel Lake through October 15, 2009, the practical end of the 2009 boating season.

The Interim Zebra Mussel Action Plan unveiled today follows four public meetings held by DFG and DCR since the Laurel Lake discovery: Westborough on July 10, Pittsfield on July 16, and Belchertown on July 27 and 30. The meetings drew significant public interest from key stakeholders including lake associations, anglers, boaters, and municipal officials. The Belchertown meetings dealt with concerns regarding protecting the Quabbin Reservoir - a public drinking water supply for 2.5 million Massachusetts residents - from ZM infestation. For information on DCR's program specific to Quabbin, click here.

“The Department of Fish and Game looks forward to working with our many conservation partners to implement measures to protect our beautiful aquatic resources and promote best management practices for fishing, boating and other outdoor recreation,” said DFG Commissioner Mary Griffin.

“We appreciate the cooperation and patience shown by the boaters and fishermen of the Commonwealth as we develop procedures to deal with these invasive zebra mussels,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. "We all have a stake in protecting our lakes and ponds from the spread of destructive plants and animals, and we thank the public very much for understanding."

The interim action plan released today puts into place a mandatory protocol requiring users of state boat ramps in the Hoosic and Housatonic watersheds to self-certify that their boats have not been in water bodies known to contain zebra mussels. If a boat has been in an infested water body, ramp users must self-certify that the boat has been properly decontaminated. Recreational boaters must complete a self-certification form and display it in plain view on the dashboard of their vehicle, stating that the boat has not been on a water body where zebra mussels occur, or, if it has, that the boat has been properly decontaminated. Violations of these requirements are subject to a $100 fine and other penalties under OFBA regulations. Self-certification forms are available on the agencies’ web sites and at their offices, and will be made available for distribution and use by municipalities, lake associations and other members of the public.

DFG and DCR strongly recommend that these same self-certification procedures be followed by appropriate authorities at public and private boat ramps serving lakes and ponds that fall outside of state control in the Hoosic and Housatonic watersheds.

The mandatory zebra mussel decontamination procedure for boats that have been in infested water bodies includes following the basic steps of clean, drain and dry. Boaters must thoroughly drain, flush, clean and dry their boats and all recreational equipment. This includes the boat engine, bilge, ballast water, or anything else that has come into contact with the water. Boaters should dry the boat for at least one week in dry weather and at least 18 days in cool, wet weather. Detailed information on the decontamination process can be found in the interim plan. Click here.

Other steps the Commonwealth has taken to protect water bodies susceptible to zebra mussels include extending the hours of DCR’s three boat ramp monitors, and assigning a DFG employee to assist as a fourth monitor. The state-trained boat ramp monitors will regularly monitor nine state boat ramps in the Hoosic and Housatonic watersheds: at Laurel Lake, Stockbridge Bowl, Onota Lake, Pontoosuc Lake, Richmond Pond, Cheshire Reservoir, Goose Pond, Windsor Pond, and Lake Buel.

The interim plan calls for adopting on a long-term basis all of the emergency management measures proposed and/or established by OFBA earlier this summer. This includes the July 10 measure that authorizes local managers of state boat ramps in Berkshire County to prohibit the use of the ramp by boats that have been on Laurel Lake within the last 30 days, unless the boat has been properly decontaminated; the July 23 measure that expanded the authority of local managers to prohibit the use of state boat ramps by boats that have visible evidence of an aquatic invasive species; and the closure of the Laurel Lake boat ramp through October 15.

To accomplish the intent of the interim action plan, OFBA has proposed a new management measure that would implement on a long-term basis the agency’s previously-adopted measures, as well as the new self-certification protocols and a requirement that boats be decontaminated if they have been on Laurel Lake or other specified out-of-state water bodies known to contain zebra mussels. The proposed long-term management measure was filed with the Secretary of State and is expected to take effect in early September following public comment. Public comment on the long-term management proposal can be e-mailed to bob.greco@state.ma.us, or sent by regular mail to the DFG Commissioner’s office, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston MA 02114.

In addition to the DFG management measures, the interim action plan calls for DCR, with help from DFG, to implement a robust education and technical assistance outreach effort in partnership with other key stakeholders such as municipalities, lake associations and recreational users of Massachusetts water bodies. DCR will continue to provide training on boat ramp monitoring, proper boat cleaning procedures and aquatic invasive species identification through its Lakes and Ponds program. It will also provide training to DCR park staff, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, and attendees of the Lake and Pond Association of Western Mass (LAPA West) Annual Symposium in September 2009, the Congress of Lake and Pond Associations (COLAP) Annual Workshop in January 2010, DCR’s Weed Watcher Classes, and annual Sportsmen’s Shows in Massachusetts (Worcester and Big E.)

In the event that another Massachusetts water body other than Laurel Lake is discovered to contain zebra mussels, DFG and DCR will notify the public, determine the extent of the occurrence, post appropriate signage at state boat ramps at the water body, and establish any further OFBA management measures which - if deemed necessary and appropriate - could include the temporary boat ramp closure.

A freshwater bivalve mollusk that looks like a small clam with a yellowish or brownish shell shaped like the letter “D,” zebra mussels have been found in numerous lakes, ponds and rivers in the United States, including the entire Great Lakes region and Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. Out-competing native juvenile fish for food, zebra mussels can significantly alter the ecology of a water body. They attach themselves to boat hulls and propellers, dock pilings, water intake pipes and aquatic animals.

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is responsible for promoting the enjoyment and conservation of the Commonwealth’s natural resources. DFG carries out this mission through land preservation and wildlife habitat management, management of inland and marine fish and game species, and enforcement of the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. DFG promotes enjoyment of the Massachusetts environment through outdoor skills workshops, fishing festivals and other educational programs, and by enhancing access to the Commonwealth’s lakes and ponds.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.