The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Dillon watercraft inspection station intercepted a watercraft carrying invasive mussels Monday.

Watercraft inspection stations are reopening across northwest Montana, starting with early-season operations in Kalispell and Ravalli.

Restrictions on Canyon Ferry reservoir boat launches have been removed allowing all boaters to access all boat ramps this year.  Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks sought to remove the launch restrictions after three years of testing resulted in no detections of invasive quagga or zebra mussels.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on delisting Canyon Ferry Reservoir as an invasive species management area.  Following three years of no invasive mussel detection, regional guidelines allow for the delisting of a suspect waterbody and the removal of the mandatory exit inspection requirements. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on making the mandatory inspection before launch rule for the Flathead Basin permanent. The rule is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2020. Removing the expiration date will allow the rule to continue indefinitely.

Montana’s watercraft inspection stations set another record for boats inspected in 2019.  More than 112,00 watercraft have been inspected so far this year, surpassing last year’s number by 3,000 inspections. Inspectors have intercepted 16 boats with invasive mussels coming into the state.

Hunters who use boats to access waterfowl or big game hunting areas can help prevent aquatic invasive species from infesting Montana’s wetlands, rivers, and lakes. 

Montana’s watercraft inspection stations are closing for the season, but boaters can still obtain an inspection at FWP regional and area offices.

Late-season anglers and hunters utilizing boats for waterfowl or big game hunting need to follow the principles of clean, drain, dry to help protect our waters from invasive aquatic weeds, animals and diseases.

A boat from Chicago bound for Seattle was quarantined and decontaminated at the Ravalli watercraft inspection station operated by the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT).

Montana’s boating season is slowing down, and with the decrease in boating traffic some watercraft inspection stations are reducing hours or closing for the season.