Transcript for Aquatic Invasive Species
ON SCREEN: BOATING
Speaker 1: What are the best ways to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species?
Speaker 2: So the best practice is for a boat operator to take their boat out of the water. Bring their boat to an area where any runoff—as a result of pulling the drain plug from the boat—isn’t going to run back into the lake, and then practice the clean drain-and-dry method. They basically clean any surfaces that the boat has been in contact with.
They drain, by pulling the drain plug, any water from the bilge area, live well areas, or any other wet areas, such as ballast boats. And then they dry those areas to prevent even microscopic organisms from being able to stay and be transported to prevent that transportation to another water body.
Speaker 1: And why don’t you put water back into the lake, even though you just took it from the lake?
Speaker 2: There may be other invasive species that you’ve transported to that lake unknowingly. If the species is released back into a new water body, you could potentially infest what was a pristine water body.
Speaker 1: Why should people be concerned about invasive species?
Speaker 2: Invasive species can affect the natural wildlife around the region. It can also lower property values. It can really have a negative effect on the water quality overall and the recreational uses that people have out on the waters throughout the state.
Speaker 1: Tell us about the new decal for out-of-state boaters.
ON SCREEN: OUT-OF-STATE BOATERS NEED AN AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES STICKER
Speaker 2: We do have a new law that is taking effect that requires any out-of-state boaters to have an aquatic invasive species sticker or decal on their boat before boating on New Hampshire waters. And it’s available through our New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. It goes towards the aquatic invasive species prevention to help with the water quality and maintaining the pristine environment that we have here.
ON SCREEN: AVAILABLE VIA WWW.DES.NH.GOV/