Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) says the first mussel-fouled boat of watercraft inspection season was stopped at the Anaconda inspection station on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
FWP said in a press release the mussels were found on a pontoon boat traveling from North Dakota to Washington. Inspectors found mussels along the hull, throughout the lifting strakes, and on the transom and gimbal areas of the boat.
In a social media post, FWP added that no live mussels were found due to the cold weather, but the inspection team nonetheless performed a full decontamination, locked the boat to the trailer, and notified Idaho and Washington.
FWP reminds the public that all motorized and non-motorized watercraft entering Montana from out of state must be inspected, and watercraft must be drained of all water before transporting.
You can get more information at FWP's aquatic invasive species web page, or by calling the FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau at 406-444-2440.
