AIS Inspection FastPass for MN anglers

I have an idea for serious anglers and boaters who are being unneccesarily targeted by over zealous boat inspectors and off site manatory inspections.

I don’t disagree with the fact that AIS/ZM are damaging to lakes – something does need to be done to address the issue. Doing nothing and letting nature take it’s coarse is not an option. Although as we all know nature always wins.

Here’s how it works. The TSA has a program called “PreCheck” where prescreened travelers are allowed a fasttrack through airline security. Why not do something similar for boaters and anglers? Model the program after the LSP/Inspector training. You would pay a fee and attend an in-person training session (just like LSP) for a half day. With this training you would recieve a sticker to put on your rig and bypass most inspections. It would not be a total free pass. If a CO or sheriff wanted to inspect your boat you would have to comply or if you were in a special high risk AIS containment zone (leaving MilleLacs for example) then you would need to have an inspection. Of course going through an inspection or decon would be voluntary if you felt necessary. The AIS FastPass would have to be renewed every three years by taking on online training and paying another fee. There would be zero tolerance for AIS law violation. Any citation for violating AIS laws would be instant revocation for six years.

I got the idea for this over the summmer. I’m an LSP so I have the sticker on my truck. I was at a ramp this summer, not doing LSP work, and the inpector noticed my sticker. He waived me through with a quick “you’re good”.

For the occasional boater who launches a few times a year this might not be worth it but for those of us who launch upwards of 20 times a year it might be money well spent to not have unnessary delays or hassle.

I would likely be more supportive AIS prevention efforts targeted towards higher risk boaters – like manatory inspections if I knew I could go to 90% of the lakes anytime on my own free will.

As boaters and anglers we need to start getting organized. Lake groups are very organized and have ears of law makers and policy makers. Last fall when the Lessard-Sams council was considering a boat inspection plan put forth by MN COLA only one letter of opposition (to my knowledge) was sent to the LSOHC. It was from me. I think it caught the attention of the LSOHC. I don’t know if it was my letter alone but LSOHC ended up severly cutting the requested funding and replacing the original proposal with their own proposal. I felt like I made a difference.

I sent my idea to Ann Pierce at the MN DNR who is the main contact for AIS issues. I did not hear anything back. Which must mean it’s a good idea, right

Hey Beav, I was with you all the way until you said “fee”.

I was with you until you said “off site”.

I think we should all have a sticker to out on our boat.

Sorry for any misunderstanding……with this AIS FastPass idea you could bypass any centralized inspection stations – just go right to the lake

In all honesty, there should be no “check point” to have to go to before putting your boat into a public water.
The whole concept annoys me to no end. Fighting a battle that can only be slowed and not won. All the “ideas” do is fuel lake associations who want to keep a lake as private as they possibly can.

I say dump a bucket of every ais in every lake and be done with it!

Beaver92:

I’ve suggested this (Frequent User Pass) numerous times to these groups, some listen, but Joe S. from Christmas Lake does not TRUST Anybody and just wants people to stay off his LAKE!.

I directly asked Joe this question at the last meeting, He responded NO, we do not have that in our plan. Check the meeting minutes in the link I provided in my post Carver Parks Comm Agenda & Minutes and right here.

Joe has shot this down anytime I’ve brought it up. At a meeting in 2012 when I suggested this, he pretty much told me he DOES NOT TRUST ME.

Come on out to the meeting and try yourself. Make your VOICE heard.

We can all talk all we want here, but your voice needs to be heard in front of the decision makers.

Please call or email the real decision makers, the Elected County Board Members. They need your feedback, so here is a link to their contact info.
Carver County Board contacts

Another point, There should be no fee!

Carroll

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I sent my idea to Ann Pierce at the MN DNR who is the main contact for AIS issues. I did not hear anything back. Which must mean it’s a good idea, right

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Yeah, good luck.

I’ve sent a number of messages to that group and called leaving messages. Not Replies!

PS: Yes, I like your basic idea, but we need voices at these meetings.

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Doing nothing and letting nature take it’s coarse is not an option. Although as we all know nature always wins.

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Huh?

I am going to make a little float and launch it in the middle of the night on Christmas lake. There will be a little flag on top with a note that says, “DANGER: Jars contain zebra mussel veligers, rusty crayfish, milfoil and silver carp fry samples. Handle with Extreme Caution”. Only I will never put any jars on the float.

I think the fast pass is currently in use. All you do is ignore the AIS people and launch your boat as you normally would and be on your way.

Plug in 24/7/365.

Beav, you get Kudos for taking action. The solution we are seeking is to slow down the spread of AIS. Education will help. Showing up at a ramp with a clean boat is what is needed. Ramp inspection might be a minor annoyance that we need to live with. I’m suggesting that the training course your proposing is great, a good idea. But like the Firearm Safety course, it just makes you a better hunter – but doesn’t give you any extra privileges. I’ve suggested this to the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. Teach a course on AIS and recognize folks for doing their part. (hat, patch) not so much to give them card banc at the ramp, but to give us each an opportunity to conduct ourselves as folks who get it and practice good citizenship.

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Doing nothing and letting nature take it’s coarse is not an option. Although as we all know nature always wins.

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Huh?

I am going to make a little float and launch it in the middle of the night on Christmas lake. There will be a little flag on top with a note that says, “DANGER: Jars contain zebra mussel veligers, rusty crayfish, milfoil and silver carp fry samples. Handle with Extreme Caution”. Only I will never put any jars on the float.

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I see hasmat suits then I get Alice’s restaurant playing in my head.