It’s up to boaters and anglers to keep nuisance species from invading NH’s waters!
Several species of non-native aquatic plants invade waterbodies, forming thick underwater stands of tangled stems and vast mats of vegetation at the water’s surface. They can crowd out important native water plants. Once they become established, aquatic nuisance species can be impossible to contain and control—so please make sure you’re not accidentally bringing an aquatic hitchhiker into the state!
To prevent the transport of aquatic nuisance species, please clean all recreational equipment. Whenever you leave a body of water:
- Remove any visible mud, plants, fish or animals.
- Drain water from equipment (engine water intake systems, bilge, live wells, bait buckets).
- Clean and dry anything that comes into contact with water (boats, trailers, equipment, etc.)
- Never release plants, fish or animals into a body of water unless they came out of that body of water. It’s the law!
Invasive Plants
It is illegal to transport, import, purchase, propagate, sell or distribute 14 species of non-native aquatic plants in NH. Among them are: Eurasian milfoil, variable milfoil, fanwort, purple loosestrife and water chestnut.
Zebra Mussels
These non-natives cause numerous problems, including attaching themselves to boat hulls and clogging water intake systems. Let’s keep zebra mussels out of NH.
Didymo
Didymosphenia geminata, a.k.a. “didymo” or “rock snot,” has been discovered in the Connecticut River and its tributaries. If you fish, boat or swim in this river, be sure to disinfect all of your items before using them elsewhere. Visit www.des.nh.gov and search “didymo” for more details so YOU don’t spread this organism.
For more information, contact the NH Department of Environmental Services Exotic Species Program at (603) 271-2963, www.des.nh.gov; NH Fish and Game at (603) 271-2501, www.FishNH.com; or www.protectyourwaters.net.
