Boaters asked to make milfoil aquatic enemy No. 1, by Larry Woodward
Boaters who use Maine's inland waters are being called upon to help prevent the spread of milfoil, an invasive plant that can choke the life out of lakes and ponds.
Most Mainers haven't heard of milfoil, but boaters have become aware of it as they have lined up to register their boats this spring. A state law passed last year requires residents to pay $10 for a special sticker to display on their watercraft.
Non-resident boaters, estimated to be as many as 40,000 each season, must pay $20 for the stickers.
The money from the sale of the stickers will be used to combat milfoil and other invasive plants. Some of the money will be used to hire as many as six new wardens in the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife to enforce the new laws designed to prevent the spread of milfoil.
The several species of milfoil choke out native vegetation and aquatic animals. The plants grow quickly and absorb nutrients, air and other resources that native plants need. There is no natural deterrent to its growth.
The plant has already ruined millions of acres of waterways across the nation. It has spread to dozens of lakes in New England and has been identified in several waters in southern Maine, including those near the boat launch at Sebago Lake State Park.
One of the most serious infestations is threatening Messalonskee Lake in Belgrade. Biologists with the departments of Environmental Protection, Conservation and Inland Fisheries & Wildlife are working together to prevent the spread of milfoil in waters that have already been identified to have the plant.
Milfoil is spread when small bits of the plant become attached to boat hulls, outboard motors, trailers and other equipment and are introduced into another body of water when the boats are relaunched.
The public boat ramp on Route 27 in Belgrade, built by the Department of Conservation, is at the center of one of the largest milfoil infestations in the state. Many property owners around the lake are calling for the ramp to be closed.
"We are interested in access for recreational boaters and fishermen, and hope we can keep the site open and minimize the threat," said James Stahlnecker, a regional fisheries biologist with the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. "But we don't want it to spread from Messalonskee on boats and motors."
Last year, Maine instituted a public information campaign in which toll collectors on the Maine Turnpike advised motorists entering the state with boats that their boats should be cleaned. There are warning signs at border crossings and at boat launch ramps.
The new law provides for heavy fines, up to $5000, for anyone caught with plant fragments on a boat, trailer, equipment or vehicle. The fine for launching a boat without a sticker is $250.
Maine has an estimated 129,000 boats used for recreation, and monitoring them is a large undertaking. To help with enforcement, a group of volunteer boat inspectors is being organized to man boat ramps to watch for milfoil fragments and to educate the public.
As part of the education effort, the state has offered these recommendations:
- Check and remove all plants and plant parts from boats, motors, trailers and fishing equipment before launch and after recovery.
- Dispose of plants in a trash receptacle high and dry and away from the water.
- Avoid driving or paddling through any plants.
If recreational boaters become aware of the problem of milfoil and take responsibility for cleaning their own equipment, the spread may be curbed.
"The problem is identying the stuff," said Stahlnecker.
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Larry Woodward is a free-lance writer who spends as much time as possible on the water.
This article appeared in the Maine Sunday Telegram, June 2, 2002
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