Before heading out on the lakes this summer to fish, make sure your canoe, kayak, boat, pontoon boat, or whatever it is you use to navigate through the water is free of any invasive species.
On Saturday, May 12, at 12:01 a.m. Governor Mark Dayton cast his line and officially proclaimed Clean Drain Dry Day, signaling the start to the Minnesota Fishing Opener.
With over 1.6 million anglers hitting the frozen or thawed waters, the fishing opener was the perfect opportunity to educate anglers on the importance of invasive species prevention.
But now that the opener is over, the governor’s message remains.
Amanda Weberg, Cook County AIS Coordinator, recognizes that Minnesota communities rely on healthy natural resources and citizens engaged in the fight against invasive species. By presenting the Clean Drain Dry Proclamation at the 2018 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener, we are all reminded to take action and become part of the solution for protecting our lakes, rivers, and streams.
Working with partners across the state, Cook County coordinates community-based outreach, marketing, and educational resources to slow the spread of invasive species.
An inspector goes over procedures with a boater to make sure the boat is free of invasive species. Inspectors will be at various locations this summer making sure boaters follow the protocol set by the state in an effort to stop the spread of invasive species.
Clean Drain Dry unites all Minnesotans. Together, we are making a difference. Over 98 percent of the public complies with state AIS laws. That is incredible proof that we are all working to keep our lakes and streams healthy.
Minnesota is home to some of America’s most beautiful fishing and boating waters. Clean Drain Dry is simple and only takes a few seconds to do. As the national AIS prevention message, visitors from other states are likely to have seen or heard about it from boat inspectors or on television and reiterated on highway billboards, print ads, even flyers in bait shops and storefront windows.
Visit the self-serve boat wash station at North Shore Car Wash, 400 W. Hwy. 61 in Grand Marais to clean your boat. Stop by next door at NAPA Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $5 towards washing your watercraft. Get practice backing your boat into the stall and help prevent the spread of invasive species.
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