1 day Ago By The Montana Standard
The driver blew past two other aquatic invasive species inspection stations in Montana before being nabbed last week after passing the Anaconda station. On April 24, Joe Kambic, a regional game warden for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, stopped the vehicle pulling a trailer with a watercraft described by FWP as a tugboat. He directed the driver to return to the inspection station, which is off the westbound lanes of Interstate 90 between the Fairmont and Anaconda exits.
A Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game warden stopped the driver hauling this boat on April 24, 2025, after the driver failed to stop at three stations in the state inspecting boats for the presence of aquatic invasive species. The boat was found to bear zebra mussels and barnacles. FWP said inspection station staff discovered invasive zebra mussels that might have been alive and also barnacles.
Zebra mussels can damage aquatic environments in a host of ways. Tom Woolf, chief of FWP’s aquatic invasive species bureau, said stopping the tugboat was fortunate. “That’s the kind of boat we’re most concerned about,” he said, transporting potentially viable zebra mussels.
The driver had previously passed inspection stations near Broadus and Hardin. Woolf said it was not clear whether blowing by those stations was intentional. The driver was traveling from Lake Michigan to the Puget Sound in Washington.
The barnacles suggested the boat had previously been in salt water. Zebra mussels Everything was decontaminated except for the engine flush, due to the size of the vessel. The boat was locked to the trailer, and a follow-up inspection will be needed.
The tugboat is the sixth boat this year detected with aquatic invasive species. FWP said the incident provided a reminder that the law requires anyone transporting watercraft — motorized and nonmotorized— to stop at all open inspection stations they encounter. Watercraft includes paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, rafts and pack rafts.
Nonresidents and residents returning home must have their watercraft inspected before launching in Montana. Watercraft must also be drained of water before transporting. “AIS enforcement continues to be a priority for Montana game wardens, and we will continue to do our part in this ongoing fight,” said FWP Game Warden Chief Ron Howell.
Watercraft inspection stations are Montana’s first line of defense to prevent the movement of AIS, which can have devastating impacts on Montana waterways, FWP said. Aquatic invasive species include plants, animals or pathogens that are not native to Montana and can cause harm to the state’s environment and economy. Learn more at fwp.
mt.gov/conservation/aquatic-invasive-species.
