OTHER EQUIPMENT
A key concept for recreational equipment decontamination is that the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the activity and the type of aquatic invasive species.
Bottom line: Hot water kills AIS, while rinsing, flushing or high pressure washing removes them.
References
Inspection and Cleaning Manual for Equipment and Vehicles to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species (Bureau of Reclamation 2012)
If aquatic recreational equipment has been left in the water for less than a day, key actions to prevent the spread of all AIS are:
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Inspect and clean off any aquatic plants, animals, and mud from all equipment before leaving water access.
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Drain motor, bilge, livewell, and other water containing devices.
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Dispose of unwanted bait, worms, and fish parts in the trash. When keeping live bait, drain bait container and replace with spring or dechlorinated tap water.
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Never dump live fish or other organisms from one water body into another.
The intent of these actions is to clean off any visible large-bodied organisms attached to or in watercraft or recreational equipment. Draining can also remove small organisms such as zebra mussel veligers, however, additional steps are needed to remove small-bodied organisms from other parts of the equipment. Those can be easily rinsed off or die out of water in a short period of time. Added precautions that improve treatment effectiveness are to:
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Spray/rinse recreational equipment with high pressure hot water to clean off mud and kill aquatic invasive species,
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Flush motor according to owner’s manual, AND/OR
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Dry everything for at least five days before reuse or wipe with a towel before reuse.
Notes: Young mussels can survive in standing water for 24 days at 50°F, 8.5 days at 59°F, or 4.5 days at 86°F. It is recommended that even a simple hull rinsing with a garden hose and running water through the live well system can be effective. Rinsing of recreational equipment is an effective way to clean off species not visible to the naked eye.
If aquatic recreational equipment has been left in the water for more than a day, the following decontamination methods are recommended:
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Spray/rinse hull and other external areas or recreational equipment with high pressure (2,500 psi) hot water (140°F for 10 sec).
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Rinse/flush motors with hot water (120°F) for 2 minutes.
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Rinse/flush interior compartments with hot water (120°F)
Notes: All equipment surfaces exposed to surface water, especially if left in the water for more than a day on invasive mussel infested waters, should be decontaminated.
Young invasive mussel settlers are difficult to see with the unaided eye, but on smooth surfaces they feel like sandpaper. Treatment using 140°F water will also kill Eurasian watermilfoil, New Zealand mudsnails, and spiny waterfleas at various exposure times. Treatments are more effective with longer drying times and hotter water.
After removal of aquatic plants and animals, follow these steps:
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Spray/rinse recreational equipment either at home or at a car wash unless state, tribal or local regulations prohibit leaving the site without washing.
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Inspect, clean and rinse first, while higher temperature and pressure will speed up treatment and improve efficacy. Basically, rinsing is good, but using hot water is better.
Notes: Generally, residential hot water heaters are set at 120°F. However, temperatures at the nozzle will be lower because of the water’s heat loss to pipes, hoses, ambient temperature, etc. Commercial car washes typically use water pressure of no more than 1,500 psi and car washes rarely have water hotter than 100° F.
If recreational equipment is fouled, certified or professional decontamination services are highly recommended and may be required based on local, state, or tribal regulations.
Summary: Recommended actions for day users are: inspect, clean off, drain, rinse (with low pressure, hot as possible) and dry for more than five days. For recreational equipment left in zebra mussel infested waters for more than a day, do all of the above, except use high pressure, hot water for exterior surfaces, and low pressure hot water for interior components.
Industry
Crane Load Test Water Bags: Pathway, Inspection and Decontamination (BOR 2015)
Clean Equipment Protocol for Industry (Peterborough Stewardship Council and Ontario Invasive Plant Council 2013)
Environmental Stewardship and Compliance
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Know the rules! Specimens are needed to confirm sightings, but some jurisdictions prohibit possession and transport of invasive aquatic plants and animals. Contact your local natural resource management agency for instructions. Unauthorized introduction of plants, fish, or invertebrates into the wild is illegal in most states. Protect your property and our waters.
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Report new sightings. Note exact location; take a photo; if possible and legal, place specimens in a sealed plastic bag; and call a federal or state authority.
Recreational Activity
Anglers
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Clean Inspect and clean off plants, animals, and mud from gear and equipment including waders, footwear, ropes, anchors, bait traps, dip nets, downrigger cables, fishing lines, and field gear before leaving water access.
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Scrub any visible material on footwear with a stiff brush.
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Anglers using boats should refer to boat inspection and decontamination guidelines.
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Drain water from boat, motor, bilge, bladder tanks, livewell and portable bait containers away from ramp. When keeping live bait, drain bait container and replace it with spring or dechlorinated tap water. Don’t add other live fish or water to the bait container.
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Dry everything at least five days, unless otherwise required by local or state laws, when moving between waters to kill small species not easily seen OR wipe with a towel before reuse.
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Other Use non-felt soled boots instead of felt-soled footwear to further reduce the risk of spreading AIS.
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Dispose of unwanted bait, fish parts, worms, and packing materials, in the trash; do not dump them in the water or on land.
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Never dump live fish or other organisms from one water body into another. Fish caught for eating or taxidermy should be cleaned away from the water and placed on ice.
Motor Boaters
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Clean Inspect and clean off visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from boat; motor, including the gimble area; trailer, including axles and bunkers and rollers; anchors, dock lines, and equipment before leaving water access.
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Scrub hull of watercraft using a stiff brush.
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Rinse boat, trailer, and equipment with high pressure hot water.
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Flush motor according to owner’s manual.
Jet boats and personal watercraft users should also:
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Inspect and clean off aquatic plants and animals from hull, trailer, intake grate and steering nozzle, etc.
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Run engine 5-10 seconds to blow out excess water and vegetation from internal drive before leaving water access.
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Sailors should also:
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Inspect and clean off visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from the centerboard, bilge board wells, rudderpost, trailer and other equipment before leaving water access.
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Drain water from boat, motor, bilge, bladder tanks, livewell, and portable bait containers before leaving water access. When keeping live bait, drain bait container and replace it with spring or dechlorinated tap water. Don’t add other live fish to the bait container.
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Dry everything for at least five days, unless otherwise required by local or state laws, when moving between waters to kill small species not easily seen OR wipe with a towel before reuse.
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Non-Motorized Boaters
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For canoes, boards, rafts, kayaks, rowboats, paddleboats, inflatables, sculls, and other non-motorized recreational watercraft:
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Clean Inspect and clean off any visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from watercraft, straps, gear, paddles, floats, ropes, anchors, dip nets, and trailer before leaving water access.
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Scrub exterior surface of watercraft using a stiff brush.
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Rinse exterior of boat, trailer, and motor with high pressure hot water.
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Drain water from watercraft, sponges, bailers, and water containing devices.
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Dry everything at least five days, unless otherwise required by local or state laws, when moving between waters to kill small species not easily seen OR wipe with a towel before reuse.
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Completely dry inflatables and other recreational watercraft before storing.
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Wear quick-dry footwear or bring a second pair of footwear with you when portaging between waterbodies.
Scuba Divers and Snorkelers
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Clean Inspect and clean off visible plants, animals and mud from wetsuit, dry suit, booties, mask, snorkel, fins, buoyancy compensator (BC), regulator, cylinder, weight belt, boat, motor, and trailer before leaving water access.
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Soak gear used in saltwater dives in 5% dishwashing liquid solution (1 cup/gallon)1 ;or gear used in freshwater dives in 3.5% (½ salt solution (½ cup/gallon) 2 for 30 minutes,
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Rinse inside and outside of gear with hot water.
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Drain water from BC, regulator, cylinder boot, boat, motor, and any water containing devices before leaving water access.
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Dry everything at least five days, unless otherwise required by local or state laws, when moving between waters to kill small species not easily seen OR wipe with a towel before reuse.
Waterfowl Hunters
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Clean Inspect and clean off visible plants, animals and mud from waders, hip boots, boat, motor, trailer, ATV’s, push poles, decoys, decoy lines and anchors (use elliptical and bulb-shaped anchors to help avoid snagging aquatic plants).
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Brush hunting dogs and rinse kennels with tap water.
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Drain water from boat, motor, bilge and other water containing devices before leaving water access.
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Dry everything at least five days, unless otherwise required by local or state laws, when moving between waters to kill small species not easily seen OR wipe with a towel before reuse.
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Other Cut emergent vegetation above waterline for blinds or camouflage in accordance with regulations.
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Waterfowl hunters using boats should refer to specific watercraft guidelines.
Swimmers
Clean Wetsuits, Clean Water (Lake George Association)
Researchers
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Robots as vectors for marine invasions: Best practices for minimizing transmission of invasive species via observation-class ROVs (Thaler et al. 2015).