A truck belonging to a North Dakota company was hauling pumping equipment from a reservoir in Vermont in late October when it pulled into a Weigh Station on Interstate Hwy. 94 in Minnesota’s West Lakeland Township. Officials at the station determined the trailer was too small for the load it was hauling and was holding it until a larger trailer could arrive when they discovered the truck was loaded with 5,000-10,000 zebra mussels.

 

The full story's here: startribune.com/462/story/1534460.html. Check it out and then share your thoughts.

I have long felt that laws placed on sport fishermen were really designed for industry.  State and Federal governments, in an effort to stem the tide of invasive species, have placed across the board regulations that hurt the sport fisherman.  Realizing that we all need to take precautions, do our part, industry is the big culprit.  Commercial fishing, shipping, industrial, service companies and governments share the biggest responsibility.  And to be fair, the commercial fishing industry is to a lesser extent.

If you would spend time traveling and fishing the waterways of North America, you would soon discover that many of these waters contain invasive species as well as fish that are contaminated with mercury or PCBs.

If some kind or real action isn't taken soon, the hobby that we enjoy and the fish we like to consume will soon be a thing of the past...

 

LM since 2005 Bushwacker Deputy Sherif

What realy sucks about all this is we are the ones to pay for it. Our licenses all go up to pay for big industries f@#^ up. Just take a look at all the invasive species that has been dropped into our lakes. Where they all come from. Yet I am not to go from one lake to another the same day. I have no problem with cleaning my boat at the launch. Am ratherr not impressed seeing all the dead bait pilling up at the launches, or the price paid for it

    Sad part of this is neither the halling co. or anyone else involved will pay sQuat to fix this prob. If my boat is seem carrying vegitation away from some launch I get a $250 fine.

This article was in the newsletter several months ago, the item being hauled was a "Solar Bee" aeration unit, which had been out ot the water for about three weeks.  The mussels were dead but they were still in violation of the state law.  They should have cleaned the unit before transport and didn't and were cited for that, as they should have been.

why didn't you get rid of them.

I agree with AZAllen that they should've cleaned off their rig before delivery, whether or not the mussels were dead.  No sense taking chances.  Don't forget, if those mussels had been living, some of those mussels could've bounced off of the truck... alive... enroute to its destination, & if they did so on a bridge with grating instead of pavement, they might be contaminating virgin waters as we read this.  The irony of this happening to one of the "greenest" (i.e. ecologically conscientious) of companies aside, it's only because the company was "green"... & that they had been sure the pumps sat for five days as a precaution... that the mussels were dead, & that every body of water between Vermont & Minnesota dodged a very deadly bullet.

 

Irregardless of this particular case where all ended well (more-or-less), though these regulations are now a necessity, I also agree with Turnip (hey, Turnip, what's up?) & Fuzzyfishin that it's wrong to expect anglers to bear the financial brunt of this problem.  The primary... & larger... monetary burden should go to the industry giants who are responsible for the contamination in the first place.  What we need are legislators... & enforcement & judicial officials... who won't take bribes from these fat cats, & who'll make sure these guys are fined (& fined dearly) for the devastation they routinely inflict on our ecosystems.  One or two hefty fines to them... making it cost more for them than their carelessness is worth... & I'll bet we see a drastic reduction in invasive species afterward!  As long as they don't get fines... or get just token $1 or $2 slaps on the wrist... & there is no real monetary cost for them to remain careless (& money is all these boys understand or care about), the conscientiousness of these rich jokers will not increase, & this problem will prevail.  Keeping a sharp eye on us anglers while closing your lids when big business messes up just isn't right, Mr. DNR Officer.

 

You know, we never had this problem when all of our stuff was made in USA, & we didn't have to ship things from countries that have these ecological menaces.

Keep the line fresh, the hooks sharp, and have fun fishing. God bless you. -Sonny, Life Member since 2002

"You know, we never had this problem when all of our stuff was made in USA, & we didn't have to ship things from countries that have these ecological menaces."

Bonzi!

Those people are the sickest around, i cant stand them; tryin to ruin our fishin with the ZEBRA MUSSELS. If they are prosecuted, they should do community service helping clean some of the rivers and lakes until they drop.
Walleyeman

Remember, bul#@$&* walks? Well heres a classic case.Its all about who has the pull. It aint us brothers.I cleaned ALL of my gear, bought all new line & even hosed off ALL of my hardbaits before i even wet a line here in Az after moving from Wisc.What else can we do? Its all about that dollar now. damn crying shame.
FISHFEARME

 

100% right on Palico.  You hit it right on the head.  I was born and raised in Duluth, MN.  I remember seeing those ocean vessels coming into port and dumping their water so the ship would rise a little higher.  You can darn well imagine what was in that water that first was put into the ship in their port.

---Reverend for the NAFC--- "Judge others as ye would judge thyself" and may ye always have a tight line and full stringer.

Hey Rev,   How ya doing???   I haven't been on as much as I would like, with the kids out of school, the pool, the never ending yardwork, Fishing as much as I can.  Gailann got out with me today.  She was a little discouraged.  She got  skunked.                    
Dan "Stealthfisher" Doc NAFC LIFE MEMBER I FISH, THEREFORE I AM<*{{>>< SPARE THE ROD, SPOIL THE FISH! <*(((>>>< ><<<)))*>