Follow AIS Prevention Protocols When Heading To Water

As boaters and other water recreationists gear up for water recreation, they need to follow the rules to prevent aquatic invasive species from affecting Montana’s waters.

Those rules include: All boats must stop at all open watercraft inspection stations they encounter. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $750.

Always be sure to clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.

All watercraft entering Montana are required to be inspected for aquatic invasive species. An inspection is required before launching on Montana waters.

Nonresidents transporting watercraft into Montana must purchase a Vessel AIS Prevention Pass before launching. The fee is $30 for motorized and $10 for nonmotorized watercraft. The pass is valid until Dec. 31.

Inspection is required for Montana residents before launch IF: the boat is entering the state, crossing west over the Continental Divide or entering the Flathead basin.

So far this year, FWP and its partners have inspected more than 23,000 watercraft. Of those, over 150 were found to be transporting aquatic weeds, and 17 were mussel fouled. In April, a FWP warden stopped a driver pulling a mussel-fouled tugboat after he drove past an AIS inspection station near Anaconda. The driver was traveling from Lake Michigan to the Puget Sound in Washington.

FWP and partner agencies, which include tribes, counties and conservation districts, operate more than 17 road-side watercraft inspection stations across the state. To find a watercraft inspection station or to learn more, go to CleanDrainDryMT.com or call the FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau at 406444-2440.