Zebra Mussels

We regret to inform you that zebra mussels have been found in Pelican Lake .  This was confirmed Monday, September 14 by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 

Zebra mussels are an invasive species that has been spread throughout Minnesota Lakes , including Mille Lacs and the Alexandria area lakes.   Zebra mussels are ¼ to 1 ½ inches long and are D-shaped with alternating black and brown stripes. Zebra mussels are tricky to find when they are larvae, because they are not visible to the naked eye.  The larvae can live in your live well if there is water there, and then spread into other lakes.  This could be how they entered Pelican Lake .  Zebra mussels can attach to hard surfaces such as boat lifts and docks and clog water intake pipes.

Please help us in looking for zebra mussels as you remove your dock and boat lift for the winter.  Contact Moriya Rufer, PGOLID Water Resource Coordinator (lakes.rmbel@eot.com , 218-846-1465), if you find any stuck to your dock and lift so she can track them on a map of the lake.  We want to monitor their spread throughout the lake.  You can see a photo of zebra mussels below.

Unfortunately, there is no remedy for Zebra mussels.  There is no chemical treatment available to control them.  The best we can do is monitor their spread. 

There are some new regulations that apply to Pelican Lake now that it contains zebra mussels (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/invasives/laws.html):

• taking wild animals (fish, frogs, crayfish, etc.) from infested waters for bait or aquatic farms is prohibited;
• equipment used for commercial fishing purposes in infested waters must be dried or frozen before it can be used in noninfested waters (misdemeanor);
• water from infested waters may not be used to transport fish except by permit;
• persons leaving infested waters that contain populations of spiny waterflea or zebra mussels must drain bait containers, other boating-related equipment (excluding marine sanitary systems) that holds water, and livewells and bilges by removing the drain plug before transporting the watercraft and associated equipment on public roads ($50 civil penalty or misdemeanor);
• water from infested waters may not be transported on a public road or off riparian property on infested waters except in emergencies or under permit ($200 civil penalty or misdemeanor).

More detailed information will follow as we learn more about the infestation.

To read more about Zebra mussels, please visit the following links:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquaticanimals/zebramussel/index.html

http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/zebramussel

Photos of Zebra mussels are below. Zebra mussels are ¼ to 1 ½ inches long and are D-shaped with alternating black and brown stripes.

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