FWP may have found mussels in Flathead Lake samples
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is
reporting that undesirable exotic mussels may be present in the
north end of Flathead Lake.
Microscopic larvae that are suspected
to be from the mussels, considered an invasive species, may be
contained in four of 17 samples taken in the Lake between May and
August, according to Eileen Ryce, FWP’s aquatic invasive species
coordinator.
Samples are being submitted for
additional testing, but results from independent labs in the
Midwest suggest that tiny organisms within the samples have
characteristics consistent with zebra and quagga mussels. However,
the results from a lab in Oregon, suggest no signs of mussel
contamination.
“These larvae are notoriously difficult
to identify at this stage of development,” Ryce said. “With this
sample, the question mark is the size of the larvae, which are
significantly smaller than what we’d expect. But we’ll err on the
side of caution.”
FWP plans to send divers to locations
on the north end of the Lake in an effort to search for any adult
mussels, which could be as tiny as sesame seeds, Ryce said. The
remaining samples will be submitted for additional DNA testing.
Neither zebra nor quagga mussels have
ever been found in Montana. These exotic mussels, which can be
carried in on boats, do not have a predator to manage their
numbers, leading them to reproduce and spread quickly. The mussels
are said to also block water intake pipes, disrupt water
purification and hydropower plant operations, and may impact
fishery populations.