Clean, Drain, and Dry Campaign Kicks off May 27

This Memorial Day weekend, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Boat Stewards are beginning their summer watch at public boat launches throughout the state, including in the greater Catskills region. Catskill Center invasive species staff and volunteers are part of this effort. They’ll help you stop aquatic hitchhikers and educate the boating public about how important it is to Clean, Drain, and Dry watercraft and disinfect fishing gear to help stop the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS).

The Catskill Center hosts the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP), one of eight Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) in New York State. The partnership is coordinated by the Catskill Center through a contract with the NYSDEC.

"One of CRISP’s crucial responsibilities is to protect water bodies in the Upper Susquehanna, Hudson, and Upper Delaware Rivers,” said CRISP Director John Thompson. “By preventing aquatic invasive species from invading these waters, the CRISP Watershed Steward Program is safeguarding a valuable resource for both people who live in and visit the Catskills. The program also helps protect the drinking water of millions of people."

Last year, according to DEC, stewards provided courtesy inspections for more than 240,000 boaters and intercepted over 14,000 AIS, including zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, and curly leaf pondweed, which could have potentially established new populations as equipment was moved from waterbody to waterbody.

Learn more about our Boat Stewards and what you can do to help stop the spread of AIS here.

NYSDEC/CRISP recommend that boaters and anglers follow these steps to make sure equipment is not harboring invasive species:

• Clean mud, plants, fish, or animals from boating and fishing equipment (trailer bunks, axles, rollers, lights, transducers, license plates, motor props, tackle, waders, etc.) and discard the material in trash cans, at a disposal station, or well away from the waterbody, so it won't get washed in during a storm.

• Drain water-holding compartments, including ballast tanks, live wells, and bilge areas, before leaving an access site.

• Dry everything thoroughly before using boats or equipment in another waterbody. Drying times can vary but a minimum of five to seven days in dry, warm conditions is recommended.

Other steps to take are here.