New York state officials are promoting efforts to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Now that the canal boating season has begun, the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation is reminding boaters it’s time to clean, drain, and dry their watercraft. Speaking Friday outside Champlain Canal Lock 1 in Waterford, Interim DEC commissioner Sean Mahar says Watercraft Inspection Stewards will be standing by at 220 inspection stations across the state’s waterways.
“In 2023 alone, our boat stewards across the state helped intercept more than 11,000 boats that were carrying invasive species and inspected more than 244,000 watercraft and making sure they were cleaned, drained and dried before they got off on the waters,” Mahar said.
Of particular concern at Lock 1 is the round goby, an invasive species originally from central Eurasia first found in New York in 2021. Rebecca Hughes, Executive Deputy Director of the state Canal System, held up a rubber version, and says her organization is stepping up efforts to combat the spread, including double-draining the lock.
“There’s about a million and a half gallons of water in the lock chamber. And as a boat approaches from the south, we fill the lock and we drain it creating a huge amount of velocity that flushes any invasive species that might be waiting at that gate, down the waterway, then we fill it up again and drain one more time,” Hughes said.
That helps keep the fish from making headways into the system and potentially invading Lake Champlain.
Hannah Cuppola is Aquatic Species Program Manager with the regional Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management, or PRISM, in Saratoga County, one of eight regional PRISMs throughout New York. She says while boaters aren’t required to make use of inspection stations, she strongly recommends they do, since it only takes a couple minutes.
“A watercraft steward will approach you, identify themselves and the program that they're working for, and they will ask you to join them on a visual survey of the exterior of your watercraft for any plant fragments that may be attached, any animals like such as zebra mussels, or to drain any bilge or lower your motor in case there's zebra mussel larvae,” Cuppola said.
More than anything, Mahar says boaters should stay safe:
“Make sure you have all your safety equipment in hand. Make sure you've cleaned, drained and dried your boats, and otherwise have fun,” Mahar said.