LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Due to an overwhelming response from concerned citizens regarding invasive mussel infestations in California’s bodies of water, boat owners will now see an additional fee on their California Department of Motor Vehicles vessel registration.
This fee is a result of AB 2443 that was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2012.
“The money collected by the DMV will go to the State of California Department of Boating and Waterways to make grants available to local agencies to fund Quagga and Zebra mussel prevention plans,” said Lake County Public Works Director Scott De Leon.
Since 2008, the county of Lake has taken what officials termed “a positive, proactive and aggressive approach” to the threat of an invasive mussel infestation because of the huge impact it could have on the ecosystem of Clear Lake and the local economy. This approach has been funded largely by the fees received from the County’s sticker program.
In order to keep Clear Lake free of invasive mussels and keep its ecosystem intact, boat owners are still required to participate in Lake County’s mussel prevention plan.
This will include the annual requirement of purchasing a Lake County Quagga Mussel Sticker, as there is no guarantee that monies collected through the DMV will be awarded for use in Lake County.
Community members are asked to continue to support the Lake County program by showing their current mussel sticker and remembering to check in with a participating screener when you return from an out-of-county trip with your boat. Rescreening and any necessary decontamination are free.
County officials credit the local prevention program with being the reason Clear Lake is still free of quagga and zebra mussels. They ask for the community's assistance in keeping it that way.
Officials thanked all of the screeners for the success they have achieved. For the latest list of screeners see www.nomussels.com or call 707-263-2344.
The 2014 mussel stickers will be available in late December of this year.