Stop the spread

Stop the spread

Ready to hit the water? Start here before you go:

Utah’s scenic waters provide recreational enjoyment for boaters year-round. Before launching your vessel, make sure to get familiar with the rules and requirements of boating in Utah, and help stop the spread of invasive quagga mussels.

Note: Beginning July 1, 2023, all boaters — Utah resident and nonresidents — with motorized vessels must take the Utah mussel-aware boater course and pay the AIS vessel enrollment program fee through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. (The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles will no longer accept payment for AIS vessel enrollment for Utah boaters as part of your DMV registration.)

Previously, the mussel-aware boater education course was only required for non-resident boaters, and Utah residents paid the AIS fee when they registered their boat through the DMV.

Ready to hit the water? Start here before you go:

Utah’s scenic waters provide recreational enjoyment for boaters year-round. Before launching your vessel, make sure to get familiar with the rules and requirements of boating in Utah, and help stop the spread of invasive quagga mussels.

Note: Beginning July 1, 2023, all boaters — Utah resident and nonresidents — with motorized vessels must take the Utah mussel-aware boater course and pay the AIS vessel enrollment program fee through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. (The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles will no longer accept payment for AIS vessel enrollment for Utah boaters as part of your DMV registration.)

Previously, the mussel-aware boater education course was only required for non-resident boaters, and Utah residents paid the AIS fee when they registered their boat through the DMV.

The Culprit

Boat motor encrusted with quagga mussels

The Culprit

Mussel infestations in Utah lakes

Quagga mussels form dense, destructive colonies that encrust almost any underwater surface. Newly hatched mussels are microscopic and can attach to your watercraft in as little as a day! They can easily be transferred to other waters without boat owners even knowing that these tiny but incredibly destructive mussels have hitched a ride.

The Damage

Destroy fisheries
Pollute shorelines and beaches
Damage boats and equipment
Cost millions to control

The Solution

Clean all plants and mud from your boat, trailer and equipment
Drain: eliminate water from bilges, ballasts, live wells and engines
Dry: allow boat to completely dry before launching in other waters