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Idaho inspectors see record number of mussel-infested boats

Mussel Mussels
Posted at 12:27 PM, Nov 17, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-17 14:29:53-05

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The Idaho Department of Agriculture says a record number of watercraft fouled with invasive mussels were caught at the state’s boat inspection stations this year.

But the Post Register reports that officials say Idaho’s waterways still remain free of the invasive quagga and zebra mussels. Nic Zurfluh with the Agriculture Department's invasive species office says so far 52 boats fouled with mussels have been caught coming into Idaho, most of them at the Malad, Idaho inspection station.

Many of the contaminated watercraft were coming from Lake Powell in Utah, which is known to be infested with the invasive mussels.