State environmental officials are kicking off a plan to fight the spread of the invasive zebra mussel in Massachusetts. WAMC’s Tristan O’Neill reports…
Later today, Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Edward Lambert and Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Mary Griffin will outline plans at a press conference at Pontoosuc Lake in Pittsfield,
Zebra mussels can multiply quickly, disrupting local ecosystems by covering other freshwater mussels and cutting off resources for other species.
The mussels can also cause damage by encrusting the undersides of docks, boats, and anchors.
They can spread to other lakes and rivers on the hulls of boats, and their microscopic larvae can be transported in droplets of water on watercrafts and gear.
Their dense growth can also block pipelines and clog water intakes of municipal water supplies.
Tristan O’Neill, WAMC News.
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