AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Legislature has passed an emergency law to help reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species in the state.
The law, LD 92, requires boaters "to take specific actions to encourage water to drain from their watercraft prior to entering a water body or leaving a launch site," the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife said in a news release Wednesday.
According to the MDIFW, boaters are now required to do the following:
"Prior to entering a water body and when preparing to leave launch sites, boaters are required to remove or open any devices designed for routine removal/opening (for example, hull drain plugs, bailers, live wells, ballast tanks) to encourage draining of areas containing water (excluding live bait containers). This must be done in a way that does not allow drained water to enter any inland water of the state."
By draining boats of water from a different water source before entering a new body of water, the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species is "drastically reduced," even those that aren't always visible to the eye, the release stated.
The MDIFW describes aquatic invasive species as any fish, wildlife, or plant species that spread to a body of water that they do not naturally occur in.
"These species are often transferred to new locations on watercraft, watercraft trailers, and other equipment associated with water recreation, and they impact the health of our waters, fish, and wildlife," the release said.
Laws similar to LD 92 are already in effect in more than 20 other states, including New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, according to wildlife officials.
"This law will limit the spread of aquatic invasive species we already have in Maine while proactively limiting potential for the introduction of aquatic invasive species that would be new to the state such as quagga mussels and the spiny water flea," the MDIFW said.
The law went into effect June 16.