Shawnee Forest warns of preventing spread of zebra mussels

This week the USDA and Shawnee National Forest put out a warning to local boaters and fishermen to avoid spreading invasive zebra mussels into inland bodies of water across southern Illinois.

The fingernail-sized mollusks are already common in our rivers and larger lakes.

The agencies posted that even if you do not have the actual zebra mussels in your boat, the water left in your boat after being in an infested lake or river could contain zebra mussel larvae.

You're urged to drain your boat, dry everything completely and clean your gear before using the boat in another body of water.

Zebra mussels are orignally from freshwaters in Europe and Asia. They clog water intakes for power and water plants and damage fishing and boating equipment cost. The federal government, state agencies, fishing and boating groups have worked extensively to control their spread. 

The battle has been waged since the 1980s when zebra mollusks were discovered in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Within a few years, detection followed in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas.

In 1990, in response to the first wave of invasions, the USGS set up its Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, which tracks sightings of about 1,270 non-native aquatic plants and animals nationwide.  

In 2021, another way was discovered that zebra mussels were unwittingly being introduced nationwide when an aquarium owner noticed them in some ornamental plants he bought from a pet store. A biologist quickly determined that the moss balls were being imported from Ukraine and sold to pet stores. Alerts went out, and the infested moss balls were soon found in 21 states.

To report a suspected sighting of a zebra mussel or another non-indigenous aquatic plant or animal, click here .


(Photo: Maryland Department of Natural Resources)