FWP: mussels unconfirmed in lake samples
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DNA tests on larvae suspected to be exotic mussels found in Flathead Lake have proven inconclusive, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks aquatic nuisance coordinator Eileen Ryce said.
“We haven’t been able to confirm anything yet,” she said.
After November lab tests on the larvae had conflicting results, FWP ordered DNA tests from two out-of-state labs, hoping for more definitive answers. But DNA testing on samples of such tiny organisms is tricky, and Ryce said the suspicious samples taken from the lake in July weren’t meant specifically for DNA testing. “We’re just gonna have to get more samples,” she said.
A team of United States Geological Survey divers also scoured parts of the northern end of Flathead Lake for two days earlier this month and found nothing in the way of exotic mussels, Ryce said.
For now, boaters entering and leaving the lake won’t have to deal with any new regulations, although preventing contamination from invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels is still top priority for FWP. Boaters can expect to see many more boat inspection stations this summer, Ryce noted.
“We’re still concerned about prevention of (invasive species) coming in the state,” she said.
And FWP will continue to closely monitor the lake for signs of mussels, collecting more samples for DNA testing.
“We have plans to do a lot more testing this year,” Ryce said.
Montana remains one of the few states where exotic mussels haven’t spread. The creatures reproduce very rapidly and clog filters and water intake pipes and pumps, coat boat propellers and steal nutrients from native invertebrates, fish and wildlife. According to the United States Geological Survey, zebra and quagga mussels have caused more than $5 billion in damage in the Great Lakes Basin alone.
