Monday November 18, 2024
The Record-Courier —
As the Lake Tahoe boating and paddling season wraps up, agencies leading the Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species program are tallying up the 2024 watercraft inspection season and taking stock of the growing threat of invasive species in the Tahoe Region.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, which manage the watercraft inspection program, reported Friday that staff inspected over 5,600 vessels since January and intercepted 59 vessels with invasive species on board.
Though this is an increase from the 46 vessels found with AIS in 2023, it is nowhere near the record of 129 vessels in 2021. Boaters, paddlers, anglers, and beachgoers all help lower the risk of invasive species by following the Clean, Drain, and Dry protocol.
Since the program’s inception in 2008, trained watercraft inspectors have cleared 118,000 boats to launch, safeguarding native species and habitat, as well as Lake Tahoe’s famous clarity.