Game and Parks offers boat decontamination training

LINCOLN – Operators of boat repair shops and marinas can play a vital role in the fight against aquatic invasive species (AIS). The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is interested in providing these operators free training in watercraft decontamination procedures.

With increasing concern about the spread of AIS such as quagga and zebra mussels via watercraft, Game and Parks is looking to partner with those operators as a preventative measure.

Over the years, several boats that had live zebra mussels attached have been brought to Nebraska boat repair shops for winterization. Those shop operators have notified Game and Parks after discovering the zebra mussels, and Game and Parks helped those operators eliminate them.

In Nebraska, zebra mussels are present in the Offutt Air Force Base Lake, Lewis and Clark Lake and the Missouri River.

Any operator of a boat repair shop or marina interested in receiving this training should contact Game and Parks’ Dave Tunink at dave.tunink@nebraska.gov or 402-471-5553. They should provide name, phone number, location, and the days they would be available for training. This training likely would take place in February or March. These operators could become certified to provide decontamination services to watercraft owners when needed.