Note the date and precise location where the mussel or its shell was found.

Zebra mussels are the ONLY freshwater mollusk that can firmly attach itself to solid objects-rocks, dock pilings, boat hulls, water intake pipes, etc.

Up to two inches long, but mostare under an inch.

Look like small clams with a yellowish or brownish “D”-shaped shell, usually with alternating dark and light colored stripes.

Water Chestnut Management Activities: 2010 (pdf, 8kb) Before leaving any body of water all aquatic plants should be removed from boats, motors and trailers. The introduction of invasive aquatic plants not only affects the waterbody ecology but negatively affects the local economy of a lake community. Asian swamp eel, brook stickleback, round goby, and oriental weatherfish are highly tolerant, generalist feeders that compete with native fish. Green sunfish and warmouths have a larger mouth than the state’s native sunfish, thus have the ability to outcompete native fish. When unregulated, grass carp are an invasive species that can over-graze aquatic vegetation, thus destroying fish habitat. Bighead carp and silver carp threaten human health as they leap out of the water when startled and may intercept passing boaters. (not including largemouth and smallmouth bass) are top level predators and may negatively impact the structure of indigenous and established fish populations. Snakeheads, blue catfish, flathead catfish, and Micropterus sp. The stocking of common carp is prohibited, in an effort to minimize their establishment into new waters.

Economic Impact: Zebra mussels cause millions of dollars of damage each year in the Great Lakes alone.Īlthough common carp are considered an invasive species by most, they are not designated as one of NJ’s ten potentially dangerous fish species, in part because of how widespread they have become.

Decreased Property Value: Beautiful lakefront property can be transformed into a weed-choked monoculture once Eurasian water milfoil or water chestnut become established.

Loss of Recreation: Bighead and silver carp threaten recreational boating as these large fish, when startled, leap out of the water high enough to intercept passing boaters.

Habitat Loss: Plants like purple loosestrife or common reed (phragmites) can take over a wetland making it less suitable for native wildlife.Competition: Food, spawning areas and habitat are sought by invasive fish, leaving less available for desirable species.Predation: Large snakeheads and flatheads indiscriminately consume any fish species small enough to fit into their enormous mouths.Invasive species are defined as “a species that is non-native to an ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Many of the same mechanisms which transport invasive plants and animals also transmit diseases such as Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus (IPN) and Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV) which threaten fish populations. Zebra mussels choke intake pipes and cover critical spawning substrate. Invasive fish species such as the snakehead, flathead catfish, and Asian swamp eel can outcompete other fish, including rarely encountered native species and prized recreational fish, for food and available habitat. Aquatic invasive plants like Eurasian water milfoil, hydrilla, didymo (rock snot) and water chestnut choke once thriving waterways. Several unwelcome aquatic invasive species have made their way into New Jersey waters and many more are knocking at the door.

Are snakehead fish edible