Why can I no longer keep fish alive in water in my livewell when I trailer my boat home?
Aquatic nuisance species include small plant fragments or seeds, microscopic animals and viruses or diseases. If ANS exist in a water body, whether known or not (many are unseen with the naked eye), and water is pumped into a livewell, these problem species are then potentially present in the livewell water. If an angler fishes another body of water on the same trip, the ANS could be released into the new lake as water is pumped in and out of the boat. While most individuals typically go straight home and do not fish another lake or river, if water is allowed in a livewell, ANS can still be transported. For example, if the livewell is drained into the local storm sewer, which runs into a river or holding pond, transported ANS could become a problem in a new water body.
