Invasive species are plants, animals, and micro-organisms introduced by human action outside their natural past or present distribution whose introduction or spread threatens the environment, the economy, or society, including human health (Government of Canada, 2004).

Recreational boating is a fun and exciting pastime, BUT, did you know many small critters may be hitching a ride on your boat to a new lake or river? Organisms like zebra mussels, spiny waterflea, or even aquatic plants may tag along for the ride as you travel from lake to lake. Zebra mussels attach to any hard surface and may be attached to your boat, motor or trailer. Microscopic invasive species, like the spiny waterflea, can be transferred in surface water moved by your boat through the bilge, motor, live well, and transom wells.

Many anglers use live bait like minnows and crayfish. While these might help you catch a big fish, some bait species cannot be used because they are sport fishes, endangered, or invasive. You can use crayfish as bait, but only on the same waterbody that you caught them on. You can't move them across land. Earthworms make great bait BUT are not native to Ontario and can cause severe harm to Ontario's forest ecosystems. Anglers using earthworms as bait are encouraged to re-use or dispose of their unwanted earthworms in the garbage to avoid introducing earthworms to a new area.

What You Can Do

• Clean any mud, vegetation, mussels, or anything suspicious from your boat and gear before leaving the water.
• Drain all standing water by pulling the plug on your transom and live well at the boat launch when removing your boat.
• To remove invaders you can't see, dry your boat for 2-7 days in sunlight.
• Use local bait. It's illegal to use Rudd, Tubenose Goby, Round Goby and Ruffe as bait.
• Dispose your bait at least 30 m away from the shore. It's illegal to release your bait or dump the contents of your bait bucket anywhere near the water.
• If you think you've seen an invasive species in the wild, please contact the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711, or visit the EDDMapS Ontario website to report a sighting.

Cottagers and Renters should be familiar with the Boater Action Plan to help prevent distribution of invasive species. More information (including fact sheets and Quick Reference Guides for Invasive Plants and Invasive Fish can be found at Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program.