AIS / ANS Spread

[Ryan]

Interesting article about a pond in Minnesota found to be contaminated. This particular body of water could not have been contaminated by a boat.

Zebra mussels found in northern Minnesota mine pit

The Rouchleau Mine Pit in Virginia, Minn., is closed to the public and its waters have seen little, if any, activity, officials say.

www.startribune.com

 

[Dworwood]

Interesting article about a pond in Minnesota found to be contaminated. This particular body of water could not have been contaminated by a boat.

Zebra mussels found in northern Minnesota mine pit

The Rouchleau Mine Pit in Virginia, Minn., is closed to the public and its waters have seen little, if any, activity, officials say.

www.startribune.com

Interesting, we are not as smart sometimes as we think we are. Who knows, ducks? Anyone’s guess.

 

[Pegasus]

My guess would be birds as you mention. I see birds eating mussels and view the mussel 'leftovers' all the time when taking my dogs on a walk along the rocky beaches of LP. They look like they are only partially eaten and that the mussel could still be alive. My guess is that they could easily be transported to other bodies of water by birds. It will be interesting to see what they find out in MN.

 

[Dorado]

Agree with the bird hypothesis, several waters in MN have mussels.....

 

[Leardriver]

We've always known, if we were honest with ourselves, that we can't prevent the spread forever, we can only delay it. Too many factors out of our hands. That's not a call for not trying everything that we can, just being realistic.

 

[linnell]

the bird is the word

 

[Dave I.]

the bird is the word

Great, now that song is stuck in my head. Thanks Linnell!

 

[B. Stanton]

Back in the late '80s I lived in the Minneapolis area and had a friend from Northern Minnesota. His dad worked at the iron mines where these ponds are located. Long story short, dad took advantage of the opportunity to fish the mine ponds whenever he got the itch. The ponds are not accessible to the public and not monitored at all (at least they weren't back then). I was lucky enough to get invited out with him one weekend where we limited out on 1.5 - 2 pound walleye in about 2 hours (3 of us - about 18 fish, as memory serves), followed by a fantastic walleye dinner.
I am not quick to believe reports that the pond has not had boat traffic - or to blame the birds, though I suppose that is a possibility.