A new Invasives Transport Law is in effect in New York

[Reel Delight (Walt)]

A new invasives transport law is now in effect for all of Warren County in New York that makes it illegal to transport or introduce any invasives into any waters of the county. Violators can be fined up to the amount of $5,000.00 and receive 15 days in jail. This law was just passed and will be enforced! Please check the LGA news release for information: http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/3115 ... 0975c73da/

The minimum fine is $500 by law. This law also states that if you do not clean any invasive from your boat or trailer prior to driving away from a launch and onto a highway, you are transporting an invasive and subject to violation.

I highly suggest that all boaters inspect their boats and trailers very well before going to any waters such as Lake George because the authorities and courts in Warren County will make violators pay. I would also think they would make an example of the first violators they might catch because it has recently cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to stop the Asian Clams that were recently found in Lake George.

Boaters & fishermen beware. What might be hanging from your trailer or inside your livewell or boat can cost you big time!

I also expect that there will be a law passed in other counties and possibly the state of NY soon to prevent the transport of invasives. I expect Washington County and Essex counties of NY to adapt this law quickly.

[Hairbone]

Walt,

Thanks for posting!

[champlain fisher]

I use my boat in a few different water bodies and have always removed anything stuck to my trailer and boat when securing the boat to the trailer before leaving the launch. If my boat has not sat for a couple wekks between use from one water body to the next then I take the hose and use the jet setting on the nozzle to spry it all off good.

[Reel Delight (Walt)]

While fishing on Lake Champlain today, I retreived my downrigger and it had a bunch of grass on it. As I was cleaning the grass from my ball, I saw a very tiny Zebra Mussel that ended up falling on my deck. I did pick up the Zebra and dispatched or crushed it in my pliers before putting it in my trash container.

That Zebra Mussel could have just as easily been overlooked and got washed down from my deck with my washdown hose and ended up in my bilge. It might have lived for some time in my bilge and then get pumped overboard in another body of water. Or I could have unknowingly transported it into Warren County where it might be seen by a Lake Stewart (maybe) or by someone else and I could possibly be subject to a fine.

I do remove my drain plug everytime I trailer my boat before departing the launch site. But my bilge won't drain 100% just sitting on the trailer, and will drain more as I drive over the highway. I often have water in my bilge when I trailer my boat because I do use my raw water washdown system to keep my deck clean. Plus we all get water in our bilge from rain or water splashing over our transom and etc.

I always take time to inspect my boat for any tag-a-longs before departing the launch. Plus I wipe my entire hull down with clean rags and sometimes cleaner before leaving. I will admit I do that because I am anal about how I keep my boat and hate any water line on my hull. I also wash my boat very often back at camp or home.

We all should do our part to prevent the spread of invasives. As sportsman I am sure we want to protect all our water ways. And now we have another incentive in NY... to prevent receiving a possible fine. A $500 or $5,000 fine is too rich for my blood.

[Matt]

Great info and story Walt, I don't own a boat but I can't imagine how devastating it would be if people were to overlook little things when going from waterbody to waterbody.