The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Resources Division said that zebra mussels were found on a boat taken to Lake Lanier after it was used on the Tennessee River near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Zebra mussels are a highly invasive species of mussel that are native to eastern Europe and have spread to U.S. waters. The DNR said they pose a significant risk to Georgia, as they could cause major ecological and economic damage. The mussels can cause damage to boats and water intake pipes and negatively affect native mussels and other aquatic species.
Jim Page, senior fisheries biologist with the Georgia DNR, said anytime a new animal is introduced to a new environment, it begins to directly compete with the native animals for the same resources. Zebra mussels grow and reproduce very quickly and can often outcompete Georgia's native mussels.
"Zebra mussels are a striped mussel, easily distinguishable for the stripes they have on the shell, they get up to about an inch in size," Jim Page, senior fisheries biologist with the Georgia DNR said. "They're very destructive."
The owners of the boat called DNR and staff came to help. They removed approximately one gallon of dead mussels from the boat and helped the owners drain, clean and dry the boat.
DNR commended the owners for recognizing the issue and taking the steps to report it. Page said if there is a question about identifying a species, call the DNR and they can help.
"It's really important to be observant on your boats," Page said. "We have a lot of different critters that ride on boats when folks are taking them out of a water body and transporting them to another one."
While there is not an established zebra mussel population in Georgia, in March, they were found in Georgia pet stores attached to moss ball plants.
"[The mussels] are just a bad critter all the way around," Page said. "I'm glad we caught this one before it got into the water."
More detailed information regarding what to do after finding identifying an invasive species, whether it be on a boat or in an aquarium, can be found on the DNR's website.
