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The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Aquatic invasive species unit in 2020 detected more boats than ever fouled with non-native organisms.

The U.S. Interior Department last week released a report on the “Safeguarding the West from Invasive Species initiative,” an effort aimed at enhancing actions by federal, state and tribal governments to prevent the spread of invasive zebra and quagga mussels to uninfested Western waters, such as those in the Columbia River Basin.

Unknowingly, anglers may be transporting small aquatic "hitchhikers" that attach themselves to boats, motors -- and even fishing gear -- when moving between bodies of water.

Researchers have identified an invasive blood-sucking parasite on mud shrimp in the waters of British Columbia's Calvert Island. The discovery represents the northern-most record of the parasite on the West Coast and is likely an indication of its ability to spread without human transport.

The discovery of New Zealand mudsnails has shut down the state of Montana’s third largest hatchery, a trout production facility near Bridger. The discovery was at a hatchery located in the Missouri River drainage of Montana.

The number of watercraft inspections completed in 2019 across the four Northwest states rose 6 percent from 2018, but the number of contaminated recreational vessels intercepted at the stations that had invasive quagga or zebra mussels attached dropped 2 percent to 93 boats, according to a draft report by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission that was completed last week.

The Western Governors Association has launched the Western Invasive Species Council to enhance coordination between existing state invasive species councils, improve communication and collaboration on regional biosecurity and invasive species control efforts, and to advocate for regional needs at the federal level. Governors appointed 16 members to the new council.