Great Lakes Landing Blitz

Volunteers are stationed at boat launches along the Great Lakes to teach boaters how they can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Submitted.

Every July Fourth weekend, Aquatic Invasive Species Partnership members and Clean Boats Clean Waters volunteers are stationed at boat launches along the Great Lakes to share with boaters a simple, but powerful message: You have the power to protect lakes and rivers from aquatic invasive species. They do so during the Great Lakes Landing Blitz, held June 30 – July 9, and this year, the Landing Blitz and the Drain Campaign have been combined.

Volunteers will give demonstrations of the preventive steps that boaters must take before they leave the water: inspect the boat, trailer and equipment for any attached plants or animals and remove them; drain all water from boats, motors, live wells and other equipment; never move live fish away from a body of water; dispose of unwanted bait in the trash; buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer; and use leftover minnows only on that same body of water.

Learn more about the program at glc.org/work/blitz.