Boating This Summer? Help Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

What are your summer plans? Maybe a vacation out of town, camping, a staycation possibly? Whatever you choose, it's great to take some time off, de-stress and enjoy life outside of work.

And your time off can be fun and relaxing no matter how little or how much you have budgeted for downtime. One activity that is plentiful in the Upstate New York region, is taking advantage of everything to do with water. Our region is full of beautiful lakes, rivers, ponds, and creeks.

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Our Finger Lakes area is like no other in the country, and there's plenty of fun awaiting you and your family. Boating is such a huge part of the Finger Lakes, and it's a lot of fun to be out on the water enjoying a warm sunny summer day.

If you use a boat on our New York waterways, there are some things to keep in mind and perform that you may not be aware of. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation urges you to protect your waters from aquatic invasive species. And there are some simple steps to do just that.

There are six steps to take - Check, Clean, Drain, Dry, Disinfect and Visit Your Local Boat Steward. Each step is described in detail on the NYS DEC website.

Check your boating and fishing equipment for invasive species.
Clean any visible mud, plants, fish, or animals before transporting equipment.
Drain all water-holding compartments including ballast tanks, live wells, and bilge areas.
Disinfect anything that came into contact with water if it cannot be dried before reuse.
Boat Stewards - to help protect New York's waters, Boat Stewards are located at various boat launches throughout the state. To find one, click here.

Have fun boating this summer, and at the same time help protect our New York State waters. For more detailed information, visit the NYS DEC website.

via New York State Department of Environmental Conservation