By U.S. Sen. Susan Collins(R-Maine)
Maine’s lakes are under attack, and we risk losing the battle. Every year, native species of fish and plant life are challenged by foreign intruders and, since the newcomers to Maine’s lakes and waterways do not have natural enemies in our waters, they tend to overcome native species and drive some to extinction. For example, white perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and northern pike, which are not native to Maine, have been found in our lakes.
A particularly troublesome invasive plant is Eurasian milfoil, which forms stems reaching up to 20 feet high that cause fouling problems for swimmers and boaters. It degrades water quality by displacing native plants, fish and other aquatic species. There are now at least 30 documented cases of this aquatic invasive species infesting Maine’s lakes and ponds.
But you can help turn the tide. Many of the species that threaten our waters are accidently carried from one lake to another by innocent boaters. As the summer boating season begins, you should know how to protect our lakes against invasive plant species, such as milfoil, and invasive animals, such as the zebra mussel.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) supports a voluntary, “Courtesy Boat Inspection,” program to keep aquatic invasive plants out of Maine lakes. Last year, more than 40,000 boats were inspected and over 100 invasive plant fragments were removed and prevented from infecting another lake by an unsuspecting boater. Volunteers from this program can inspect your boat before and after you leave a lake. They are trained to spot invasive species, and a few minutes spent with them could well save thousands of dollars trying to remove invasive plants after they have invaded another Maine lake.
Dedicated groups of volunteers are working all around our state to combat the spread of milfoil. For example, members of the Little Sebago Lake Association, the Lakes Environment Association, the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program, and Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, are working together to start a three-year, $4 million initiative to address the milfoil threat around Maine. I am working to secure $1.25 million in federal funds to help launch a milfoil invasive species mitigation initiative. The initial phase of this project would focus on the development of a seven-lake “test bed” of the best science and approaches to be applied to the threat. The seven lakes would include Little Sebago and Sebago Lake and five others to be determined by the consortium and the DEP. The funds would also be used to create a freshwater marine laboratory at Saint Joseph’s College.
In addition to voluntary inspections, here are just a few steps you can take to help protect our lakes and streams:
• Remove all visible mud, plants, fish or animals before leaving a site. Larvae of invasive species can live in mud, dirt, and plant fragments and can be so tiny that you cannot see them.
• Drain all water from your boat before you leave the area you are visiting.
• Clean and dry everything that came in contact with the water. This includes your boots, clothing, and even your dog! If possible, allow equipment to dry for at least five days before entering new waters.
• Do not release any plants, fish, or animals into a body of water unless they came out of that body of water.
I am proud of the beautiful and bountiful waters of Maine and am working in Congress to protect them. All of us who boat in Maine should act as a first line of defense against these destructive invasive species. Please be on your guard so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy our pristine lakes just as much as we do.
