From zebra mussels to didymo, Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are organisms that can be unintentionally transported to new waterbodies and quickly alter the ecosystem. This is the reason Alaska has a ban on felt sole boots. It is done in order to stop the spread of these nuisance species. The various species spread from people (boaters, fishermen, etc) using gear in one waterbody and then unknowingly transporting DNA from the species to a new waterbody. Simply drying your gear between locations does not guarantee you won’t transport them. The DNA can stay alive outside of the water for weeks and once introduced into a new environment, it often spreads very fast threatening the biodiversity and aquatic habitat. The best way to protect your local waterbody is by not allowing these species to be introduced in the first place as once they have taken over, we have no real way of stopping them.
There are a few different decontamination options that have a range of effectiveness. The “clean, drain, dry” method is given to boaters but the only way to be 100% certain the boat has no living organisms that pose a threat is to flush the boat and its motor with water over 155 degree Fahrenheit. Many states now have decon units set up at boat ramps of popular reservoirs to clean the boat with hot water if it was perviously used in a different waterbody. For gear like waders, not many people have access to a decon unit so they recommend cleaning the gear with a strong detergent like 409 degreaser but there is still some debate as to whether or not that kills 100% of the DNA of these organisms. A lesser used approach that I find easier is to simply freeze your gear. If you have a large chest freezer, put your waders and boots in there for 8 hours and you will kill all AIS. Just do it a day or two before your trip so you don’t have to put on frozen waders.
It is up to us to stop the spread of these organisms. Promoting awareness and doing your part to clean your gear, especially if you are traveling from a waterbody that has tested positive for AIS, goes a long way to ensuring these organisms do not get introduced into your favorite fishing spot.
More On Gear: