Quote:
Mussels attach themselves to the gills of fish when they are in their larval stage (young)get transported upstream or where ever the fish goes(i.e. walleye spawn) and fall off to spread and multiply.
You’ve got a couple holes in your thinking here Turk:
1. What fish migrate to spawning areas after the month of June?
Relativity: This is when zebes fill the water columns with eggs and sperm. Successful fertilizations, according to the studies, take place in 18-90 days. Successful is defined as not only the creation of, but also the established attachment to a substrate conducive to a growth opportunity. In other words, in almost every case, a fertilized egg must be born, migrated, and attached to a favorable substrate environment by September.
After this period, they need the correct growth balances for any further establishment. 2 factors in this recipe is a water temp warmer than 53 degrees Fahrenheit (12 C) and cooler than 32 degrees Celcius (forgot to convert that one). The other is current flow, which is not favored if above 10cm/sec. 20cm/sec have been studied but with enough time exposure, the juvenile detached from the substrate, using the current flow to find a more favorable environment.
2. The eggs that attach themselves to some form of substrate can only survive up to a maximum, under prime conditions, which includes water warmer than 53 degrees Fahrenheit, 240 days.
Relativity: If the egg is fertilized in June, the latest date possible for any level of establishment is early February.
What’s the water temp of the St. Croix in February? And this is covering an extremely rare possibility. The only river system reporting this incident is the Ohio, and the study still indicated no establishment from the finding. All other eggs found from April-May on the Ohio were dead.
Naturally, the zebra mussell has to swim through a current slower than 20cm/sec or walk on it’s one foot through a current slower than 1.5m/sec.. The main channel current leading up to the high bridge is often faster than 1.5m/sec so the mussell needs some help.
3. The written history of the zebra mussell migration from Russia does not include the migration of fish. When canals were created into Europe, the mussells were discovered to migrate via ship hulls. Establishment took place through the 19th century.
In 1988, they were discovered in Lake St. Clair, via the ballast water of a European vessel.
The continued history of the mussell’s migration and new range of establishment is littered with details involving boats and boaters, not fish gills.
Now, the only question that should remain is the first question. What fish migrate for spawn between June and September, in search of waters warmer than 53 degrees? Of the species that qualify this question, what is their migration range and spawning habitat? Will it support effective re-establishment?
When you look at the natural requirements, as they apply to the St. Croix River, northward of Stillwater, the biggest threat is clearly the damage created from moored boats becoming substrate for migration, river cruisers during the summer months traveling in and out of established areas, and livewell/bilge water transfers from established areas mixing into unestablished ecosystems.
Given this information, is it so impossible to see the benefit restricting summer boat traffic?
I’ll leave you with a tough question Turk:
What are you after that you’re so frustrated by a travel restriction?
My concern is this:
Even if some zebra mussells have gotten into the northern areas like Taylors or Marine, the key point of this writing is ESTABLISHMENT. To date, nothing has been found to be ESTABLISHED north of Stillwater. According to the researchers, any natural establishment in those areas would appear to be very tough, almost impossible. But if we start letting Memorial weekend and later boat traffic travel the entire system freely, we can about be guaranteed a northern establishment because they’ll be transported under prime conditions FOR re-establishment.
I truly believe, via researched data, that if we lose the northern sector of the river to established zebra mussell colonies, it will come from a complacent attitude before it comes from any form of substrate.
Every last one of us needs to re-examine and evaluate our ethics regarding this issue. I will stand, researched and confident, that the traffic regulation is a good one. And to be even more honest with ourselves, what’s the existing con to my pro regarding this regulation that does not or would not fall into the catagory of some self-serving purpose of convenience?
Gentlemen????
It’s the ONLY thing in place that can help.
