LAKEPORT ? The Lake County Invasive Species Council agreed Monday sailboats coming from mussel-infested waters, counties and other states should not be allowed to launch in Lake County waterways.
“It”s almost impossible to inspect a sailboat without putting it on a lift,” Jason Roberts, environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Game, said.
Roberts said he”s seen a sailboat go through decontamination five times without getting rid of quagga and zebra mussels.
The council met to continue improving boat screening and inspection protocol for quagga and zebra mussels, which kill off native species, damage boats and piers and block waterways.
The mussels are also difficult to eradicate. The council”s recommendations need Board of Supervisors” approval for implementation.
“If you”re coming from a known infested county ? don”t come,” Greg Giusti, council chair and UC Davis adviser, said.
The council agreed they might have to change the ordinance to say that all boats from infested states will require inspection. As it”s written, screeners would have to check yet-to-be created long lists of infested out-of-state counties and waterways.
Giusti said he expects to ask the Lake County Board of Supervisors to approve ordinance and protocol changes as the program continues.
At the start of the year, the county started requiring non-resident watercraft owners to get their vessels screened once a month to obtain a durable, brightly colored band, such as those used at fairs and concerts, to be attached to the front of the vessel. The non-resident fee went from $10 a year to $10 a month. The resident vessel sticker program remains the same.
A few council members said boaters have complained to them because they think the new inspection protocol for out-of-county boats is a “money grab” by the county.
“I got yelled at non-stop because of this program,” Roberts said.
Giusti said the county and the council needs to be able to show the public where the money is going, including to education, signs and inspections.
Some people don”t recognize that the mussels endanger waterways, Giusti said.
“Education is obviously the key,” Melissa Fulton said. “You can”t fix stupid. But education could have helped.”
Council members also brought up public concerns of the bands being too fragile and availability of screeners, especially in the early morning.
The council addressed the need to implement a protocol to handle the dozens of bass tournaments this year.
Council members decided to change the inspection fee, which now costs a maximum of $20 for all vessels up to 23 feet long, including a band if the boat passes. Boats longer than 23 feet cost an extra $5 per foot. Boats with ballasts or bladders will continue to be charged a maximum of $20 extra.
The council decided it will have something printed on the out-of-county bands to differentiate them from plain bands.
Screeners will soon offer stickers for resident vessel trailers if people bring in their boat or paperwork, such as their inspection paperwork, boat registration or proof of residence, Giusti said.
Roberts clarified to the council that the Department of Fish and Game does not train certified inspectors, it gives proof of training. The county has to decide what requirements it will have for inspectors and who will accept responsibility.
Roberts will screen bass boats launching for a tournament in March. He said the state could only fail a boat if it has visible mussels, so someone from the county is needed to enforce the more stringent county guidelines.
Law enforcement has issued 65 citations for boaters without proper bands or stickers, Carolyn Ruttan of the Public Works Department said.
Terry Knight said with fines and court fees, a citation costs $468.
Council members agreed screeners and inspectors need to be issued some sort of identification from the county so they can prove their authority to boaters.
The council will meet again 10 a.m. March 1 in the County Courthouse at 255 N. Forbes St.
