Washing Boats in Washington

From May, 1997 (Update #30)

In August the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife implemented new rules requiring decontamination of recreational equipment used for tournament fishing, if that equipment has recently been east of the Continental Divide. The rules require all contest participants to fill out and sign a "zebra mussel decontamination statement." The statement requires participants to report whether "your boat, trailer, engine or any water containers that you will use during this fishing contest has been in physical contact with any waters east of the Continental Divide in the last 30 days." If so, a report must be filled out identifing steps taken to decontaminate the affected equipment. It requires affirming the following measures were taken: * "Pressure-washed hull with hot, soapy water or 5% solution of household bleach; * Run the motor in a 5% solution of household bleach for at least one (1) minute; * Flushed the bilge, live well and any other equipment exposed to water with hot, soapy water or 5% solution of household bleach; * Had a complete inspection of boat, trailer, engine and water containers by the contest director or designee for this event." For further information contact Bill Zook, Acting Eastside Resource Manager at (360) 902-2821.

ID: 199705-2.

The Zebra Mussel Update was a 4- to 8-page quarterly national newsletter published by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute from May 1990 through May 1997. The ZMU documented the spread of the zebra mussel -- an exotic nuisance mussel -- through North America's freshwater environments, especially the Great Lakes, and on efforts to control it.