By: Dianté Marigny
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
As Labor Day weekend approaches and teal hunting season opens on Sept. 20, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is reminding boaters, paddlers, and waterfowl hunters to clean, drain, and dry their equipment to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries regional director, said taking these precautions helps protect Texas waters from harmful species while maintaining recreational access and water infrastructure. Transporting prohibited invasive species is illegal in Texas.
Boaters are required to drain all water from their boats, including bait buckets, and remove any invasive plants before leaving a lake. Zebra mussels and giant salvinia are among the most significant threats to Texas lakes, with zebra mussels now present in 38 lakes across seven river basins. Once established in a lake, these species cannot be eradicated.
Giant salvinia, a fast-growing aquatic fern, is found in 26 Texas waters and can impact fishing, boating, and other water activities. TPWD also encourages hunters to clean, drain, and dry other equipment such as waders, decoys, decoy bags, and marsh sleds.
TPWD offers instructional videos on properly cleaning, draining, and drying equipment on its YouTube channel. Anyone spotting invasive species on boats, trailers, or other equipment is asked to report it to TPWD at (512) 389-4848 or via email at aquaticinvasives@tpwd.texas.gov
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