A New Invasive Pest Has Arrived in Chester County, and It's Not the Spotted Lanternfly
The invasive New Zealand mudsnail has spread rapidly in the past several years and has now reached Chester County.
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NZ Mudsnails found in SE PA waters
- Thread starter afishinado
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salmo
Well-known member
Not great news. Is there any news on the impact of the mudsnails on the waters already infested by this nonresident?
salmonoid
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I would like to know this too. The sky is falling (according to some) but the snails are in a number of high profile waters. Has the fishing quality decreased on Spring Creek? Are there less macros? Water chemistry changes because the snails are sucking some chemical out of the water to make their shells?
Here is an article with more details, specially dealing with the NZ mudsnails found in Spring Creek >
www.springcreekwatershedatlas.org
According to the article, the infestation has not reached a critical level as of yet as it has in some western US streams >
In 2016 (the latest data available), a PFBC Spring Creek benthic macroinvertebrate survey indicated Fisherman’s Paradise densities had reached approximately 24,000/m^2. While this may seem high, and certainly represents a worrisome increase in snail density, NZM populations in several western states’ streams have reached densities of up to about 500,000/ m2. At that density, NZMs virtually cover the entire bottom of the stream and do major damage to the resource. While the effects of NZM on eastern waterways are still uncertain, based on the known effects of NZM in western U.S. streams, the outcome of the Spring Creek infestation is not likely to be favorable to the health of the watershed.
Info about NZ mudsnails in Western streams > https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cabw2005/17richards.pdf
New Zealand Mudsnail in Spring Creek
Pennsylvania is facing increasing problems with incursions of aquatic invasive species (AIS). One of the most recent invaders is New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) (NZM), which was discovered in Spring Creek in 2013. This was the first known occurrence of the species on the U.S...
www.springcreekwatershedatlas.org
According to the article, the infestation has not reached a critical level as of yet as it has in some western US streams >
In 2016 (the latest data available), a PFBC Spring Creek benthic macroinvertebrate survey indicated Fisherman’s Paradise densities had reached approximately 24,000/m^2. While this may seem high, and certainly represents a worrisome increase in snail density, NZM populations in several western states’ streams have reached densities of up to about 500,000/ m2. At that density, NZMs virtually cover the entire bottom of the stream and do major damage to the resource. While the effects of NZM on eastern waterways are still uncertain, based on the known effects of NZM in western U.S. streams, the outcome of the Spring Creek infestation is not likely to be favorable to the health of the watershed.
Info about NZ mudsnails in Western streams > https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/swamp/docs/cabw2005/17richards.pdf
salmo
Well-known member
I remember that the NZM infested the Great Lakes, but have not heard much about impacts on the other biota, excpet that the lakes are now have clearer water. I remember concerns that water intakes would be clogged.
Your thinking of zebra mussels, not NZ mudsnails.
Invasive species threaten the Great Lakes economy and ecosystem - Ocean Action Agenda
Zebra mussels- which attach to submerged hard surface, from rocks to piers to boats - are an invasive species to waterways along the Great Lakes region.
oceanactionagenda.org
salmo
Well-known member
You are absolutely correct! SORRY. Blame that on my advanced age and excessive consumption of fine beverages.Your thinking of zebra mussels, not NZ mudsnails.
Invasive species threaten the Great Lakes economy and ecosystem - Ocean Action Agenda
Zebra mussels- which attach to submerged hard surface, from rocks to piers to boats - are an invasive species to waterways along the Great Lakes region.
Nocktavius
Well-known member
There’s some pretty nice trout in NZ, I wouldn’t worry too much
salmo
Well-known member
🙄
in NZ the mudsnail probably has a natural predator keeping it in check
sixfootfenwick
Well-known member
NZ trout are big because of bioenergetics. Plenty of food and the right temperature range. When it's too cold trout can't digest food properly even if it is available and when it is too warm they burn more energy than what they can get from it.
New Zealand Mudsnails have no natural predators outside of New Zealand, but are kept in check there by small worm parasites. Several fish species prey on them as well.
Plenty of reason for concern.
Worry as much as you want. This may be a big deal and it may end up not being a big deal. Regardless of the outcome, I try to worry less because the inevitable future is that these things are going to end up ALL OVER PA. They are in Spring which means lots of anglers will fish Spring and then use the same boots, waders, etc without taking proper precautions before fishing other waters. Heck, some people probably do this at the PAFF spring jam. Call me a pessimist but I'll call myself a realist. There is no stopping the spread. Maybe someone will come up with a great human intervention to help control them, but maybe not. I will not worry about this at all because all I can do is my part and I intend to do that, but the rest is out of my control.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I found out this spring that they're also in Big Fishing Creek too.
Hardly surprising, they're only a half hour drive apart.
Sure looks like they may end up being the new "normal" in our waters
Hardly surprising, they're only a half hour drive apart.
Sure looks like they may end up being the new "normal" in our waters
Yes, I anticipated that, ie the new normal. That’s why I made an extrordinary effort to repair my old waders so that I would have two pairs…one for mud snail waters and one for “clean” waters. As I noted previously, the snails have almost exclusively been showing up in special reg waters and now some near-by waters. Almost all have been waters frequented primarily by fly anglers, the Jordan being an exception, as it is a regular stocked trout water that is relatively close to the Little Lehigh and there is probably a substantial number of stocked trout anglers who fish both. Before someone challenges me on the ratio of fly to spin anglers in special reg waters, even DH Areas, which are stocked, have an average 70:30 ratio of fly vs spin fishers.
