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General Prevention Procedures for Stopping Aquatic Hitchhikers: A
must read for all recreational users
Follow a general set of procedures every time you come in contact with any body of water. By
doing so, you can protect your waters from harmful aquatic hitchhikers. Because you never
know where a nuisance species has been introduced, but has yet to be discovered.
There are hundreds of different harmful species ranging from plants, fish, amphibians,
crustaceans, mollusks, diseases or pathogens. Some organisms are so small, you may not
even realize they are hitching a ride with you. So, it is important to follow this general procedure
every time you leave any body of water.
HYDRILLA HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE DELAWARE & RARITAN CANAL!
Please help us prevent the spread of this aggressive invasive plant!
For more information, visit www.protectyourwaters.net
Remove all visible mud, plants,
fish/animals.
Before leaving any body of water, it
is important to examine all your
equipment, boats, trailers, clothing,
boots, buckets etc and:
Remove any visible plants, fish or animals.
Remove mud and dirt since it too may contain a hitchhiker.*
Remove even plant fragments as they may contain a
hitchhiker.*
Do not transport any potential hitchhiker, even back to your
home. Remove and leave them at the site you visited.
*The larvae (immature form) of an animal can be so tiny that
you cannot see it. However, it can live in mud, dirt, sand,
and on plant fragments.
Eliminate water from all
equipment before transporting
anywhere.
Much of the recreational equipment
used in water contains many spots
where water can collect and
potentially harbor these aquatic
hitchhikers. Make sure that you:
Eliminate all water from every conceivable item before you
leave the area you are visiting.
Remove water from motors, jet drives, live wells, boat hulls,
scuba tanks and regulators, boots, waders, bait buckets,
seaplane floats, swimming floats.
Once water is eliminated, follow the cleaning instructions
listed below.
Clean and dry anything that came
in contact with the water.
(boats, trailers, fishing equipment,
dogs, boots, clothing, etc.). Basic
procedures include:
Use hot (< 40° C or 104° F) or salt water to clean your
equipment.
The following recipes are recommended for cleaning hard-
to-treat equipment that cannot be exposed to hot water:
o Dipping equipment into 100% vinegar for 20
minutes will kill harmful aquatic hitchhiker species.
o A 1 % table salt solution for 24 hours can replace
the vinegar dip. This table provides correct mixtures
for the 1 % salt solution in water:
Gallons of Water Cups of Salt
5 2/3
10 1 ¼
25 3
Bleach: Bleach is a very effective disinfectant agent, but it is
a caustic substance that can be corrosive to aluminum and
other sensitive fishing and boating equipment. Soak or
spray equipment for at least one minute with a 2% bleach
solution (3 ounces of household bleach to 1 gallon of water).
A 1:10 dilution of Simple Green, or full strength Formula
409, Fantasitk, or other alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium
chloride-containing cleaner can be used.
Household steam cleaners are a relatively inexpensive, yet
effective disinfection option for boat owners.
If hot water is not available, spray equipment such as boats,
motors, trailers, anchors, decoys, floats, nets, with high-
pressure water.
DRY Equipment. If possible, allow for 5 days of drying time
before entering new waters.