HARRISBURG, Pa (September 4) – With the recent
confirmation of the aquatic invasive alga didymo Didymosphenia geminata,
also known as "rock snot," in Quemahoning Creek, Somerset
County, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) and Department of Environmental
Protection (PA DEP) are reminding anglers and boaters that cleaning their gear
is the easiest, most effective means to prevent its spread to other waters.
Recently, state officials discovered didymo in Quemahoning
Creek downstream of the Quemahoning Reservoir.
Didymo does not present a public health hazard, but it can cause
ecological damage by smothering other organisms which also live on the riverbed
and support the food web for the resident fish community. It's been called "rock snot"
because of its appearance. When squeezed
dry, the alga, which is generally tan to beige in color, has the feel of moist
cotton or wool.
“We may not be able to eliminate didymo from infected
waterways, but there are things we can do to slow or prevent its spread to
other waters,” said Heather Smiles, Chief of the PFBC’s Division of
Environmental Services.
Didymo cells can easily be carried downstream and can be
picked up by any items or equipment in contact with infected water including
fishing tackle, waders, recreational equipment, boats, and trailers. It takes only one live didymo cell to start a
new colony of the alga. We urge anglers
and boaters to clean your gear before leaving a water body and entering another
one.
The PFBC recommends that anglers allow exposed equipment to
completely dry before entering new waters. After equipment is dry to the touch, allow to
dry another 48 hours. Thick and dense
material such as life jackets or felt-soled wading gear will hold moisture
longer, take longer to dry, and can be more difficult to clean.
Soaking equipment in hot water containing dishwashing
detergent (2 cups of detergent for every 2.5 gallons of water) for 20 minutes
or more also will kill didymo and some other AIS. If hot water is not available, a commercial
hot-water car wash also makes a good location to wash boats, motors, and
trailers. At the other end of the
temperature range, freezing items solid for at least 24 hours is effective. If cleaning, drying, or freezing is not
practical, please restrict the equipment's use to a single waterway.
“This section of Quemahoning Creek provides fishing opportunities
for stocked trout as well as warm-water and cool-water fish. The PFBC annually stocks fingerling Brown
Trout and Rainbow Trout in Quemahoning Creek downstream of the Quemahoning
Reservoir,” said Gary Smith, Fisheries Biologist with the PFBC’s Fisheries
Management Area 8.
Prior to detecting didymo in Quemahoning Creek, these blooms have
been increasingly observed in Pennsylvania.
Since 2007, didymo has been detected in the West Branch and main stem of
the Delaware River, in Dyberry Creek in Wayne County, in the Youghiogheny River
watershed in Fayette County, and in Pine Creek in Lycoming County.
For more details on how to stop the spread of didymo,
visit
https://www.fishandboat.com/Resource/Documents/ais-action-didymo.pdf
For more information on how to clean your gear, visit
https://www.fishandboat.com/Resource/AquaticInvasiveSpecies/Pages/CleanYourGear.aspx
(Photo courtesy: Tim Daley, PA DEP)
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Media Contact:
Mike Parker
Communications Director
(717)585-3076
michparker@pa.gov