This is the most likely way invasive species are going to take up residence in a waterway near you.
A tenacious zebra mussel that hitchhiked across the country, attached to a Michigan boat bought by an Oregon man, was stopped by inspectors there before it could invade the waters of that state.
In April Oregon inspectors detected quagga mussels on a boat entering Oregon from Idaho.
LINK (Via: mLive)
A 40’ Catalina Sailboat, “Sequel”, that was being hauled from the Great Lakes to a new owner in Vancouver, BC was stopped at the Spokane Port of Entry. During a standard commercial vehicle inspection the alert WSP staff noticed that the vessel was contaminated with zebra mussels.
LINK Via: The Spokesman Review)
The primary source of invasive species is ship ballast water and a coalition of environmental groups has finally gotten the EPA to act.
“This settlement represents the first time in 35 years that EPA has agreed to control discharges of ballast water from ships in the same way that other industries are controlled when they discharge pollution to the nation’s waters,” said Nina Bell, executive director of Northwest Environmental Advocates.
Her group was one of the organizations that took EPA to court a decade ago to force the agency to regulate ballast dumping. When the agency adopted permit requirements in 2008, environmental groups sued again, challenging them as too weak.
LINK (Via: The LA Times)
For reference, these are the environmental groups that have been fighting the EPA on ballast discharge for 10 years.
Natural Resources Defense Council
National Wildlife Federation
Northwest Environmental Advocates
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Prairie Rivers Network