Boating this summer? Take the mandatory course, pay fee to prevent spread of aquatic invasive species

Salt Lake City — The weather is warming up, and if you are starting to make plans to take the boat out to the lake, make sure you know of a few requirements before you hit the water.

Anyone who launches a boat or any other watercraft in Utah — whether they are a resident or nonresident — is required to take an annual mussel-aware boater course. This includes individuals with paddle boards, kayaks and other non-motorized watercraft.

Anyone who wants to launch a motorized boat must also pay an annual aquatic invasive species program vessel enrollment fee. The aquatic invasive species fee is separate from a boater registration fee, and each will have separate decals.

The boater registration payment can be made through the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, and the aquatic invasive species fee can be paid online. The fee is $20 per watercraft for residents, and $25 per watercraft for nonresidents. The annual mussel-aware boater course must be completed before the aquatic invasive species program vessel enrollment fee can be paid, and then a current-year boat decal will be mailed to you.

"The aquatic invasive species funds are used to help prevent quagga mussels from spreading from Lake Powell to other Utah waterbodies," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Aquatic Invasive Species Lt. Bruce Johnson said. "These funds help pay for new dip tanks being installed around the state that more efficiently decontaminate boats and also pay for staff to help inspect and decontaminate boats in areas without dip tanks."

All watercraft leaving Lake Powell — currently the only Utah waterbody with confirmed quagga mussels — are required to have an exit inspection during the inspection station's hours of operation. Inspections are not the same as decontaminations. After a watercraft is inspected, it must still be professionally decontaminated before that watercraft can launch at a different waterbody. If a decontamination can't be performed, the watercraft must follow the recommended cleaning and draining guidelines, and wait the required dry time before launching again.

Utah's required dry times after boating at Lake Powell are seven days in summer, 18 days in fall and spring, or 30 days in winter. However, wakeboard boats are defined as complex boats, which always require a 30-day dry time — regardless of the time of year — unless they are professionally decontaminated by a DWR-certified aquatic invasive species decontamination.

There are over 40 inspection stations located around Utah, with some located at boat launch ramps and others along highways. See a map of inspection and decontamination stations on the STD of the Sea website.

When leaving any waterbody and when transporting watercraft, any drain plugs must be removed. Boaters should also remove any sea strainers while transporting their watercraft.

"We are so appreciative of all the boaters who are committed to doing their part to prevent the spread of quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species in Utah," Johnson said.

Why quagga mussels are bad

• They plug water lines, even lines that are large in diameter.
• If they get into water delivery systems, it will cost millions of dollars annually to remove them and keep the pipes free, which can result in higher utility bills.
• They remove plankton from the water, which hurts fish species.
• Mussels get into your boat's engine cooling system. Once they do, they'll foul the system and damage the engine.
• When mussels die in large numbers, they stink and the sharp shells of dead mussels also cut your feet as you walk along the beaches.

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species on the STD of the Sea website.