Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)
Education Resources
SLOW THE SPREAD OF AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES TO LAKES, RIVERS AND WETLANDS
The primary way aquatic invasive species spread to new waters is often through the very people who most enjoy those waters. Zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil actually hitch a ride on boats and trailers and in livewells, traveling from one lake to another. It is illegal for anybody to launch a boat with zebra mussels or aquatic plants attached.
To prevent accidentally transporting invasive species:
INSPECT your boat, trailer and equipment and REMOVE visible aquatic plants, animals and mud before leaving the water access area.
DRAIN water from livewells, bilge, motor, bait buckets and transom wells before leaving the access area.
Empty bait buckets into the trash.
DRY the boat and equipment for at least five days before transferring to a new lake. If drying isn't possible, RINSE boat, tackle, downriggers and trailers with hot (above 104 degrees F) and/or SPRAY with high-pressure water.
Learn what invasive organisms look like. REPORT questionable species to your local DNR service center for identification assistance; preserved specimens are needed to confirm sightings.
Learn what invasive organisms look like. REPORT questionable species to your local DNR service center for identification assistance; preserved specimens are needed to confirm sightings.
Eurasian water-milfoil
Eurasian water-milfoil Image Credit: WI DNR
An emergent, herbaceous aquatic plant, Eurasian watermilfoil, usually extends 3 to 10 feet, but can reach as much as 33 feet in length. The stems are reddish-brown to whitish-pink. It forms dense mats on the surface of water bodies, and new plants that may emerge from each node on a stem root on contact with mud. Regenerates mostly from rhizomes, fragmented stems, and axillary buds that develop throughout the year. Eurasian watermilfoil can be found in nearly 400 WI lakes.