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Zebra Mussels Invade California
From the Los Angeles Times:
The zebra mussel that has wreaked havoc in waterways around the nation has been found in California [for the first time], dismaying state and federal water officials who hoped to prevent the fast-spreading mollusk from reaching the West Coast.
State officials do not know how the mussel traveled west of the Rockies, although they suspect it may have hitched a ride on a recreational boat transported by trailer.
I've been hearing about these little rascals for a long time now. Just like everything else, it was just a matter of time!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 22, 2008 at 04:18 PM
Got em here Bubba. The blue cats eat the heck out of them.
Posted by: GREG | January 22, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Maybe Arnold needs to explain to all his Asian immigrants just what a tasty meal they make!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 22, 2008 at 04:51 PM
wow bubba that wasnt racist or anything...
Posted by: GREG | January 22, 2008 at 08:51 PM
We've got them here and the total effects are still unknown. They've been here for around twenty years at least. They really clear up the water but play hell with water intakes,etc. Walleye and perch fishing on Lakes Erie and Huron, I guess is excellent. Salmon fishing has tanked, possibly because of these. Lake Superior is very clear already and might not be able support these invasives.
YooperJack
Posted by: YooperJack | January 22, 2008 at 08:58 PM
Hey Bubba that wasnt me. To the other GREG we need to differentiate between us. I dont appreciate you using my handle ass$%#@!
Posted by: GREG | January 22, 2008 at 09:47 PM
No, it wasn't racist. It was merely a statement!
YJ
They feed by filtering water through their shells. Yes, it clears up the water, BUT, they reproduce at such a rate that they clog up intake structures and raw water lines.
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | January 22, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Lake Michigan is as clear as I ever seen it. Maybe we need to toss in some big blue cats?
Posted by: Blue Ox | January 23, 2008 at 10:57 AM
I know their guts are absolutely full of them. Especially in the winter.
Posted by: GREG | January 23, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Lake Erie has a clarity it hasn't had in years. However, zebra mussles are cutting into the food supply of bait fish, which ultimately affects bass, perch and walleye populations.
We can't get rid of them, only barely control them. Once you get 'em, you got 'em. We pretreat our water intakes with a chlorine solution at the inlet, keeps the little buggers out of the pipes so they don't clog up the waterworks.
State DNR's encourage boaters to flush their engine cooling systems and trailers before transporting between bodies of water to prevent spreading the mollusks. Only takes one time though - as California has now learned.
(Probably a Californian who took his boat to the Great Lakes and carried it back to California - nobody I know around here would bother going to the land of fruits and nuts.)
Posted by: jack | January 23, 2008 at 11:42 AM
i HATE them s.o.b.'s
Posted by: Casey | January 24, 2008 at 10:33 AM
They've just been discovered in Lake Pueblo on Colorado!
Posted by: HAROLD | January 24, 2008 at 03:48 PM
Fish biologists have proven that wading birds are responsible for spreading lots of little critters.
Bubba
Posted by: rob | January 25, 2008 at 09:58 PM
I have fished lake erie all my life the mussels definately cleared the water up drastically.The fact of the matter is I think made it a better fishery.We also got another little critter that seemed to scare the hell out of the ODNR called gobies they there would be nothing that could eatum,we have caught yellow perch &walleye and small mouth full of them I personally dont think its been all bad.
Posted by: toad | January 28, 2008 at 09:20 AM