North Dakota Outdoors - Aquatic Nuisance Species

By Doug Leier, North Dakota Game and Fish Department

April 28, 2004 - You've made your list and are checking it twice, anticipation for fishing is growing faster than your lawn this spring. Current license – got it. Life jackets – check. Next stop, open-water fishing 2004. The only thing holding you back from a day on the water is Mother Nature, but that's spring in North Dakota, where fishing is open year-round, no need to wait for opening day.

The past decade has produced marvelous fishing in North Dakota. From Devils Lake to Lake Sakakawea and in hundreds of spots between, great opportunities exist for fishing in rivers, streams and local impoundments. Safe to say it's been a heyday for anglers. While an ongoing dry period casts the proverbial dark cloud, that's part of nature's cycle and there is little we can do but worry.

One threat that anglers can address is invasive species, collectively referred to as aquatic nuisance species or ANS. Many aquatic species are already in North Dakota. Some, such as carp, have disrupted fisheries for decades. Other's such as salt cedar, are recent arrivals. Like a prairie thunderstorm on the horizon, the threat is eminent, the results unknown.

Zebra Mussel. Image courtesy ND Game and Fish Dept.

History has shown us the threat of aquatic nuisance species is worthy of concern. Who knew exactly what carp would do to fisheries in the United States? Did anyone understand how devastating zebra mussel infestations would be in the Great Lakes region?

Now that open-water fishing is upon us, it's a good time to take a more thorough look at ANS so we can minimize or prevent their future appearance in North Dakota waters.

So, what can you do? For starters, familiarize yourself with aquatic nuisance species. Numerous pamphlets and brochures are available with detailed descriptions about the primary threats to North Dakota. Contact the Game and Fish Department at 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501; phone 701-328-6300; or website discovernd.com/gnf.

We also must do our part to identify potential invaders. One prime example is salt cedar in North Dakota. Just a couple of years ago, experts would argue that our state was free of this devastating woody plant. But that changed in a hurry. Because people were able to identify it, salt cedar was found dotting the shores of Lake Sakakawea and the Upper Missouri River, and even appeared in an isolated spot in Sargent County.

Identification led to early treatment, which should help slow or stop the spread of this plant in the state.

Lynn Schlueter oversees the Game and Fish Department's ANS program and suggests anglers take a moment this spring to consider the possible spread of invasive species. "The initial outing is relatively safe regarding transport of aquatic hitch-hikers, but that's it," Schueter said. "The moment you end your first on-the-water excursion, preventing the spread of ANS becomes a top priority."

Repetition is a key, similar to checking for your license before you go fishing.

"The key is making your boat check a habit," Schlueter suggests. "Check your boat and trailer thoroughly for any vegetation attached. Empty the livewell and bilge. Use a mild bleach/water mixture to disinfect. If there is a nearby manual car wash, that's a great stop. Keeping your watercraft clean is good for the boat, and removing any potential aquatic nuisance species is good for the lake."

North Dakota has been dealing with various ANS infestations for years. Curly-leaf pondweed wreaks havoc in some bays of Lake Sakakawea; purple loosestrife has begun popping up along the Missouri, Sheyenne and Red rivers. Currently, we're fortunate the threat remains greater than the impact. But other states have seen ANS cripple fisheries and recreational boating in some waters.

Yes, ANS can spread naturally, but vigilant anglers and outdoor enthusiasts can do their part to extend the productive life of our treasured waterways.

Think if it as a life jacket for the lake. When you're double checking your list and making sure you've packed enough life jackets, get into the habit of preventing the spread of ANS. Doing so could save your lake.

Leier is a biologist for the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email: dleier@state.nd.us