Lake associations statewide spent the Independence Day weekend educating boaters and other water enthusiasts about invasive species and the threat they pose to native fish and plant life.
Berry Lake drew about 40 people Friday morning at a boat landing blitz as officials talked about phragmites, eurasian milfoil and other invasive species and how some boaters could be transporting them from one lake to another without realizing it. Because of the threat, a number of organizations in Menominee and Oconto counties are involved in education and prevention efforts.
“Berry Lake, right now, is in fairly good condition as far as the number of invasives. Our neighbors have more than we do,” said Brian Ewart, president of the Berry Lake Association Inc. “You never know when they’re going to appear because everybody is moving boats between all of the lakes.”
Ewart noted Berry Lake is in a “tough neighborhood” because of its close proximity to Shawano Lake, a “superspreader” of aquatic invasive species. Boats come from Lake Michigan to Shawano Lake and also visit smaller lakes like Berry Lake and Legend Lake.
“It’s critically important that the public knows that when they bring their boat from Lake Michigan that they clean their boat off so we’re not bringing (aquatic invasive species) to any other lakes,” Ewart said.
Doug Cox, environmental specialist for the Menominee Tribe, supervises interns working on Berry Lake, Legend Lake and other water ways that intersect with the reservation to find out where the invasive species have gathered. The tribe spent four years developing a plan that dealt with invasive species and started putting that plan to work in 2009.
The tribe is currently using geographic information services technology to map and identify gathering places for species so that it treats only the affected areas of a lake instead of using chemicals at random, which could affect native species as well as non-native.
“I would say we are making a dent,” Cox said. “Worst case with invasive species these days is control. Eradication, unfortunately in this day and age, is not in the vocabulary of invasive species. They’re here, and they’re here to stay. The best we can do is keep them from going anywhere else on the rez.”
Because eradication is not possible, population control is the key. That is why events like boat landing blitzes are so important, according to Amanda Strick, aquatic invasive species coordinator for Oconto County.
“Anything that’s invasive, it basically means it has an economical, ecological impact or can cause human harm,” Strick said. “It’s nice to be able to speak one-on-one with boaters and actually see what they’re doing (to address invasive species).”
Boaters who transport aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin can be fined up $389.50 for a first offense, regardless of whether they are aware of the infraction. After that, boaters can be fined $700 to $2,000 and spend six to nine months in jail for violations.
According to Town Chairman Peter Vorpahl, the town of Underhill is particularly vested in protecting Berry Lake because much of the lake lies within town boundaries.
“The public utilizes the lake. I personally go fishing on it,” Vorpahl said. “If the lake becomes overgrown with invasives, it’s going to change the quality of the lake experience out here.”
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