Pat Suozzi: Aquatic invaders – ‘It’s like deja vu all over again.’

This comment is by Pat Suozzi of Hinesburg, president of the Vermont Federation of Lakes and Ponds.

With the recent announcement Discovery of golden oysters in Lake ChamplainThis brings the total number of known invaders in this lake to 52. This follows the recent announcement this summer of the Eurasian chickenpox, which is also an aquatic invasive. now found at Joe’s Pond — the second inland lake added to the list of infested water bodies in the past three years. These were certainly disappointing announcements.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are biological pollutants. US Fish and Wildlife Service indicates the spread of aquatic invasive species “Harm vital ecosystems, native wildlife and plants, and impact recreation, human, animal and plant health, economy and infrastructure.”

The most common aquatic invasive species in Vermont is the Eurasian chickenpox. This milfoil can seriously damage native aquatic habitats by outgrowing native species. Milfoil does not provide the nutrients native fish and amphibians need to survive and thrive. By removing native plants, the natural food web is disrupted and the aquatic ecosystem begins to deteriorate. Additionally, milfoil grows so strongly and thickly that it can form layers on the surface of the water, causing the surface to rot and encouraging algae growth.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that, although we cannot stop the spread of Eurasian varicella, we have the tools to slow it and reduce or even eliminate existing infestations.

The most important and cost-effective tool available to stop the spread of aquatic invaders is prevention, but there are barriers to effective prevention.

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with Emma Cotton
8 November 2024, 17:048 November 2024, 17:04

Efforts to prevent aquatic invasive species in the state’s inland lakes and ponds are carried out by introduction programs managed by voluntary lake associations. Greeters inspect and clean boats entering and exiting bodies of water to ensure that no invaders are carried in.

However, the number of such programs in public access is less than 40; many are staffed only part-time, but there are several hundred public access sites at more than 800 lakes and ponds in the state.

Why are there so few programs? And why do so many people only work part time? In one word: money. The state provides little funding (less than $1 million) for aquatic invasive species prevention and control programs. Although invasives are biological contaminants, these programs are not eligible for clean water funds.

As a result, it falls to volunteers not only to administer prevention and control programs, but also to raise funds to make this work possible.

Another problem is that there are hundreds of access to lakes and ponds spread across the state, and nearly all of them are open 24/7, 365 days a year. While additional funding may be necessary to expand existing reception programs and increase staffing during peak times, it would be impossible to staff every access at all times, even with exponentially increased funding and hundreds more staff.

There are other challenges to prevention, but despite these obstacles, we believe prevention is still the best option, but every citizen and every visitor who uses Vermont’s public waters will need to be part of the solution.

Aquatic invasive spread is caused by human actions, so changing our actions can help solve the problem.

The first step is to be aware that every piece of equipment that touches water—not just motorboats, but also canoes, kayaks, fishing gear, life jackets, and even children’s toys—has the potential to harbor invaders and transport them from one body of water to another. another.

The second step is to always clean, completely drain, and completely dry all water equipment before entering any water source. You can find much more information about aquatic invaders and how to prevent their spread. on our website.

We are incredibly lucky in Vermont to have abundant freshwater resources and many clean, uninfested, pristine lakes. But human activities and climate change are placing increasing pressure on these fragile ecosystems. Yes, we need more funding, we need more user education and commitment to protecting lakes and ponds, and we need state officials to place a high priority on protecting our lakes from aquatic invaders and reducing existing infestations. Our volunteer lake associations remain committed and dedicated to this work, but it requires all of us to work together to protect and preserve Vermont’s precious public waters.