Bringing Zebra Mussels to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Could Cost You $2,500

Boaters who fail to decontaminate their boats of zebra mussels could face stiff penalties at Glen Canyon NRA. Photo courtesy of NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab.

Bringing non-native zebra mussels into Glen Canyon National Recreation Area can be a costly proposition. One individual who failed to decontaminate his or her boat of the mussels recently was ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution costs.

In fact, during this past summer visitors who failed to comply with the park's inspection and decontamination requirements received mandatory court appearance citations. Those individuals have all been ordered to pay restitution costs to the park. In the most recent case, the individual had a court-ordered restitution of $2,500.

The money will be utilized by the prevention program to assist the zebra mussel education and enforcement aspects of the program. Failure to abide by the park’s prevention program requirements has a maximum penalty of a $5,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail. To date, no zebra mussels have been detected in Lake Powell.

Zebra mussel inspection and decontamination services are available year round. Individuals whose vessels do not meet the criteria to be inspected and decontaminated, must self certify that their vessel is "Mussel Free". To learn more about the park's zebra mussel prevention program and park requirements. check out this site.