60 Citations Issued, 15K Boats Inspected For Invasive Quagga Mussels
Jul 27, 2020, 8:00 PM | Updated: 8:02 pm
FILE: Quagga mussels. (Utah DWR)
(Utah DWR)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Boaters kept law enforcement and inspectors from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources busy over Pioneer Day weekend as they searched for watercraft carrying the invasive quagga mussel.
Citations were issued to 60 people and more than 15,000 boats were inspected over the three-day weekend. Most of the citations were for failing to stop at inspection stations, according to a DWR news release.
Others were cited for failing to follow other state rules put in place to control the spread of the mussels.
In addition, 367 boats and other craft were decontaminated with hot water.
Crews clean vessels at a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources decontamination station. (Utah DWR)
The release said the total number of citations is up for 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited travel.
“We want to remind boaters and others with watercraft, including kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and other hand-launched vessels, that they are required to stop at open inspection stations,” said DWR Sgt. Krystal Tucker. “As evidenced by our citations each holiday weekend, there are still individuals who are driving past these inspections and our staff. We need everyone’s help and compliance in order to stop the spread of invasive mussels, so that Utah’s water bodies remain accessible to the public and continue to provide incredible recreational opportunities for everyone.”
The quagga mussel can destroy fisheries, pollute shoreline and beaches and it can cause expensive damage to boats and equipment, according to the DWR website.
The website also has information on decontamination stations and inspection stations across Utah.
