Wyoming Game and Fish will introduce new invasive species regulations for Wyoming watercraft operators in March.

Beth Bear, the Wyoming Game and Fish Aquatic Invasive Species coordinator, says the new regulations apply to all boaters.

"Motorboats, drift boats, kayaks - anything that's considered a watercraft, if it's transported into Wyoming from Mar. 1 through Nov. 30, it must now undergo a mandatory inspection by an AIS inspector," Bear said.

Game and Fish AIS inspectors will be paying particularly close attention to a pair of invasive mussels that are well-known for reproducing rapidly. Bear says both zebra and quagga mussels can destroy fragile ecosystems and financially impair industries that utilize Wyoming waters.

"Particularly with zebra and quagga mussels, if they got into Wyoming waters, they really could wreak havoc on anything that transports water or moves water," Bear said. "If you have water in your boat, you could be moving them and not even knowing it."

Bear says AIS regulations haven’t been updated since 2010.

You can learn more about invasive species and the new watercraft regulations by visiting the Wyoming Game and Fish AIS website.

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