If you plan to fish Spring Creek or its watershed in Centre County (Bellefonte/State College area), please remember that the entire waterway and its tributaries are considered to be infested with the aquatic invasive species (AIS) New Zealand Mudsnail (NZM). Attached is graphic evidence of how hard it is to spot NZM on gear. PATU Program Director Ashley Wilmont was wading in Spring Creek, was about to move to another waterway, and fortunately remembered to check her gear. View the photos to see what she found.

NZMs can cause major damage to the food web in a stream and have done so in several trout streams in the western U.S. NZMs are parthenogenetic (can reproduce without a mate), so it only takes one to start a new colony of this invader. Please don’t be the person to move NZM (or any other AIS) to a new waterway! Always Check, Clean and Disinfect your gear before leaving Spring Creek or any other waterway. The best ways to disinfect your gear are to soak it in HOT water with detergent, or by freezing it overnight (place in plastic bag and put in freezer) (See attached NZM Poster). When in doubt, always assume your gear has been exposed to one of the many AIS in Pennsylvania!http://www.fishandboat.com/Resource/AquaticInvasiveSpecies/Pages/CleanYourGear.aspx To learn more about NZMs, check out the PowerPoint presentation by Bob Morgan, lead aquatic invasive species ecologist for the PA Fish & Boat Commission.

To identify AIS, here is a link to the online version of the PA AIS Field Guide:http://seagrant.psu.edu/sites/default/files/AIS%20Field%20Guide_2015_11-3_FINAL.pdf

If you believe you’ve found an AIS, take close up photos, record its exact location (GPS coordinates are a great help) and please report it at: http://pfbc.pa.gov/forms/reportAIS.htm

Please spread the word about AIS and thanks for your help controlling and preventing the spread of AIS in the Commonwealth