Thread: Zebra Mussel Question for Craig

Craig,
Thank you for your very informative response, your response has certainly helped me better understand what must be done and why it must be done to prevent the spread of ANS. With a species which is as prolific as the Zebra Mussel it is very clear why we must go to such great lengths to make sure our equipment is clean before entering any body of water.

It is disheartening to see any invasive species spread but with the mobility we have in society today it is easy to see how they are spread so quickly. Hopefully at some point in the near future a way to control or eliminate invasive species will be discovered. The problem I see with this is figuring out how to control one species without sacrificing other species in the process. I would assume that any method used to eradicate zebra mussels would also eliminate or at least have significant negative impact on other mollusks as well. The trick will be to find the one biological difference between zebra mussels and native mussels and focus on that difference in an attempt to eliminate zebra mussels.

Thank you again for taking the time to respond to our questions on this forum. Your responses and explanations are very helpful in providing a deeper understanding of the complexities of aquatic management and how we as sportsmen can help.


Keith