those ##### zebra muscles

[hkyhd]

I have been hearing a lot about how problemsare being created by these foriegn muscles but not waht those problems are can anybody shed some light on this for me?

[MJP]

The only thing I know is that the Canadain Government is saying that the leeches from here in Mn bring bad things, zebra muscles, into their waters. So, they are saying individuals can not bring leeches across the border anymore. Although, they will let their bait dealers come to Mn and buy leeches from Mn dealers,like myself, and bring them to Canada and sell them up there. So, basically, it is about the all mighty dollar! I don't know what they claim these zebra muscles will do, but, they are getting the same leeches up there anyway, just in a different way. Sorry, I rambled on, but this is a sore subject for me because I lost a lot of money on the deal.

[Jon'eye']

I read somewhere that they filter out the small plankton and other forms of microscopic food that newly hatched fish depend on.

Jon'eye'

[ETT]

Their biggest threat is to raw water users. They are kow as a biofoaling mechinism. Or they clog up the pipes.

[hunts brook]

One of the ecological effects of zebra mussels is they filter out phyto-plankton so that more light will reach deeper into the water. As a result more rooted aquatic vegetation should grow. How this will effect dissolved oxygen and food chains is up for debate. The news may not be all bad for the fish. Its the power plants and water utilities who are facing the nightmares.

[Tim FRick]

The zebra muscles are like ocean barnacles, they cling to everything and slowly build up. They filter out like everybody said the plankton which small fry need to feed on. The thing the Ohio Sea Grant fears is that the eyes, perch, bass, and all other fry's our competeing for this food. Since there's billions of zebra muscles in Lake Erie the fry are going to lose. They contribute some of the walleye decline to this but this is only one small factor of many. The other problem is the clinging part. If you have your boat sitting in the water and you haven't runned it for a couple weeks, they will build up in your cooling system. The water company's have been it the hardest because of this. The zebra muscles eggs are to small for the naked eye to see. Other smaller problems that occur is there very sharp, they will cut your line if you snag up on them.
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[Polski]

I fish Lake Michigan all the time and these zebra musels are every where. Thier kind of a good news bad news deal. I fish for perch in 15 feet of water and it's as clear as any water I've ever fished in Canada. You can actualy look down and see the fish on the bottom. The bad part if they are on every rock and dock on the lake. The water part is great, but I'm sure there screwing up the whole food chain. We need to find a natural predator, or start a rumor that they taste good. Escargot anyone? Good Luck.

[CMB]

THE ROUND GOBY IS THEIR NATURAL PREDATOR!
so be carefull what you wish for!!!
if you have acess to a college library check out some journals, like j.of great lakes research, or canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic science(I think this is the title). You can learn a lot! there are several problems, or potential problems related to zm's and gobies. but the number one impact is unprecidented changes in the ecosystem. changes in the food chain and the exterpitation of many native muscles:( as well as modification of habitat, and a possible risk of bioaccumulation of toxins like pcb's if fish that prey heavily on gobys (sm bass).
exotic spp. are a real problem and we all need to do our part to slow the spread of these & other future threats to the stability of our natural resources

[Chas. Atlas]

Zebra's have fine rippling muscles, much like a race horse. Zebra mussels are a bit soft, thus the hard shell they live in.

The best fitness program in the world will not give zebra mussels good muscles -- but, they have an adhesive second to few. They can get a grip on any hard surface, including the shells of other zebra mussels. But, that doesn't take muscles.

[Orange Barrel]

One of the problems I foresee is that when the muscles filter out the plankton, the sun will penetrate deeper to allow for vast aquatic vegetation growth. Now that Lake Winnebago has them, the water will become clearer. Unfortunately, Lake Winnebago is a shallow lake. Thus, when the weeds grow, the lake will be getting choke with them and fishing the lake will be like fishing Cowlings Bay.

[Nels]

Here in Saginaw Bay the water has cleared up one heck of a lot. Guess what the walleye are eating them believe it or not. A PlUS????

[Gray Ghost]

Ever open up a sheepshead's stomach? They eat lots of zebra mussels. This may explain why we catch so many sheepshead on Erie and Winnebago these days.

GG

[HOWSWEETSITIS]

Go to OHIO SEA GRANT AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES www.sg.ohio-state.edu/publications/topics/fts-nuisance.html This will give you all the information you need for lake erie.

[HOWSWEETSITIS]

Go to OHIO SEA GRANT AQUATIC NUISANCE SPECIES www.sg.ohio-state.edu/publications/topics/fts-nuisance.html This will give you all the information you need for lake erie.

[AquaMan]

The filtration that you all refer to is true and a good thing for some lake water qualities, however, the super efficient filtration reduces and eliminates the plankton that the minnows and the other insects feed on that are the food source for the fingerlings. This disrupts a host of food chains that have been balanced for milleniums. Serious competition at the most vulnerable stage.

Further, the rapid growth and adaptation of these mussles and the lack of natural preditation will allow these parasites to grow and spread unchecked. Their mass accumulations can cause problems on water intakes on all sea vessles (big and small), docks, shorelines, etc. Imagine walking on those razor sharp shells in bare feet or bumping up against them as your kids swim around the dock at the cabin. Perhaps the speed of your boats would be adversly effected as these crustations coat the bottoms in a carpet of very rough clusters. The water intakes would be sealed off, but the water will be crystal clear.

There are currently no less then 8 (And climbing) infestations of foreign species (plant and animal) that top the most critical lists for biologists.

The best way to prevent the spread is to wash your boat and trailer AT the landing BEFORE you leave the lake. Bleach and drain the live wells after each outing. It might be a pain, but it is worth it.

I have been asking the DNR to install water supplies at some of the more infested waters for several years now. I have been told that the costs and maintenance are too great. I would like to see the comparison of costs associated with running water supplies versus infestation clean-ups.

Speak up and offer your support on this very simple solution...it may save your favorite lake.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[AquaMan]

I have been doing an enormous amount of data collection on these buggers and have yet to see any proof that walleye are feeding on these crustations. Do you have any data to support this or can you direct me to the site? I would be very interested in verifing this for obvious reasons. It would actually be a very good thing if it can be certified.

Look forward to the info.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Ia Craig]

Chas, thank you for the best laugh I have had in days. I can not believe all these other fishermen are so into the real issue they didn't even acknowledge your sense of humor. I am not making light of the zebra mussel issue but your reply was a classic.

Ia. Craig

[Tim FRick]

As Long as your not trialering your boat to a uninfected lake within a couple days, the sun heatiing your boat up and lack of oxygen in the water will kill the zebra muscles. The zebra muscles that are in your live well are so small and vurnable to change in tempature that bleaching everytime might be a little extreme. Again only if your not going to another uninfected lake in the next few days. I have been trailering my boat out of lake erie for 6 years now and never had a probable with clogging my cooling system. Just my opinion! For those people who jump from lake to lake every other day should probable use your method.
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[Nels]

I have onpened up walleye when cleaning and seen them is all.

[AquaMan]

Nels, can you do me favor, next time you see a walleye with the Zebras in the stomach, call the DNR and have them come out and record it. They are currently denying that Walleye and other game fish feed on these. Granted, evolution may change that, but if you have proof, you would provide some exciting predation information for these critters.

I am not doubting you, but I would like to prove that the walleye are feeding on them, and sometimes it requires pudding...if you know what I mean.

Thanks

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[bob oh]

I don't think it would be good Aquaman because the Zebras also filter pollutants out of the water, which would be transferred to the eyes if they eat the mussels. Gobies are eating the mussels on Erie; the Gobies are in turn being eaten by Smallmouth and the ODNR is now concerned that the smallies are becoming more and more toxic. It is moving up the food chain to you know who!!!!!!!
Bob

[AquaMan]

Correct. I am not implying that the fact that walleyes are eating the Zebras is good, but rather the information itself is good.

The effects of this fact can therefore be examined better. Since the biologists currently believe that consumption of Zebras by native species is rare or non existant, they are reluctant to study the effects and hense it(the lack of conclusive evidence) will prohibit a very stong case for government funding on both the study and irradication of these exotics.

Currently, the only ones screaming loudly about these are the commercial vessels and untilities. Though a weighty group, the sport fishing industry has yet to chime in due to lack of concern for the spread and effects of these exotic species directly on their natives.

Assumed, is the fact that some is speaking up for our benefit. Not the case. In fact, most sports associations are taking a back seat to see where the studies lead. Therefore, a study specific to the results af game fish consumption is critical and currently viewed as secondary.

If it was widely accepted that walleye, for example, would be desimated or dramatically effected by the presence of the Zebra, then the efforts would take on a whole new direction and pace.

Therefore, the fact that anyone is catching walleye with Zebra's in them should be reported and documented.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Jim K.]

Not only might the zebra mussels be affecting fishing but the waterfowl experts are now studying a possible link between the increase in zebra mussels and the decline of the bluebill population. It is thought that bluebills and other diver ducks eat the mussels. Since the mussel are such good filter feeders (water gets cleaner as one of you noticed) they are highly toxic with whatever pollution is in the water system, much like a big walleye on the Mississippi. If there is any proof that walleyes eat the mussels, though Aquaman says no, then you might want to cut down on how many meals of walleyes you have per week. I've seen crayfish in walleyes but never mussels, though the lakes I fish fortunately don't yet have 'em. For me I'll still eat a 15 to 18 incher, but I'm not eatin' a sheephead whether they eat mussels or not!

[Tim FRick]

Unfortunely as the food chain goes, it doesn't matter if the eye's eat the zebra muscles or not. The muscules are full of toxins, Gobies eat the zebra muscles, and just about every fish in lake Erie eat the gobies. The eye's will absorb a certain amount of this toxin through the food chain. The Ohio sea grant issued a report last year that we should cut back on eating smallmouth because the smallies feed pretty heavy on these. But as everybody knows if they cut open the walleye and perch bellies you'll find gobies in those too(Probable why that "confusion" color stinger works so good). It's pretty sad the amount of pollution that goes into our lakes. Unfortunely as long as we have sewage, than the lakes will never be really clean.
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[bob oh]

OK, I understand and agree, but I have cleaned a lot of Erie eyes the last few years and I have never seen one with anything in it that resembled a Zebra. Doesn't really mean anything, just my observations.Hard for me to believe they would eat Zebras (with the hard, sharp shell) when other forage fish are around.
Bob

[AquaMan]

That is what I thought, but apparently Nels has been catching fish with these in the stomach. It could happen. Go figure. But like the other posts suggest, the Zebra's can and do contain high levels of toxins that would have a dramatic effect on the fish and the fisherman.

Eitherway, I would suggest that you report these findings when you suspect them to be odd. Carefull observation and recording and reaction are key to the success of a fishery. Most, if not all, of the management agencies rely on the sportsman/women to report changes or suspicious items in those fisheries and beyond.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[cmb]

from the toledo blade:



Report: Great Lakes' ecosystem
threatened

April 27, 2000

WASHINGTON (AP) - Exotic weeds, microscopic
zooplankton, and minute crustaceans are expected to pose
dangers to Lake Erie in the years ahead, according to a
long-awaited environmental guidebook being released today by
the U.S. and Canadian governments.

The governments made a commitment in 1987 to work together
to set pollution cleanup priorities and regulatory to-do lists for
improving the quality of water, fish, and human life on the Great
Lakes.

The "lakewide management plans" vary in size and detail and
have been completed for four of the five lakes. Lake Huron's
plan is in progress.

"We are thrilled to have them finally out," said Emily Green, a
Great Lakes expert with the Sierra Club, said after reviewing
portions of the report posted on the Internet.

"Now we need to make sure these are turned into action to clean
up the these lakes and not just become a pile of paper sitting on
people's shelves."

All four reports identify pollution problems and chart how
ecosystems have been changed by contamination and the
introduction of non-native species such as the zebra mussel,
which eat sediments and algae and increase the concentration of
PCBs in fish higher up on the food chain.

"The domino effect of PCBs being transferred from one
invasive species to another and then to a fish consumed by
humans is very troubling," said Rep. Steve LaTourette (R., O.),
co-chair of the congressional Great Lakes Task Force.

"We count on smallmouth bass to be a natural predator of
round gobies, but the PCB concentrations now being found in
smallmouth bass should alarm everyone," he said.

The document for Lake Erie describes the expected next wave
of invaders.

They include:

European water chestnut, a kind of weed.

Fishhook waterflea, a predatory crustacean.

Daphnia lumholtzi, a spiny zooplankton.

Fourspine stickleback and bottom-dwelling ruffe, types of
non-native fish.

The ruffe and perch eat the same food and use the same habitat
and "When ruffe arrive in Lake Erie, it may adversely affect
yellow perch," the report warns. Perch is a mainstay of the
region's sport fishing.

Fishing could be threatened by the fishhook waterflea, which
compete with young fish for food and tangle fishing lines by
latching together into a spiny web.