Small Watercraft

 

Small crafts including anglers and divers using boats.
This group encompasses all small crafts used in the marine and freshwater environments. It includes personal water crafts, jet skies, canoes/kayaks, small boats, dinghies and other small vessel types that are not routinely kept in the water after their use.
This sector transfers equipment from one water body to another on a regular basis. It is important that these protocols are followed each and every time a boat or craft leaves the water:
  • Avoid running your engine in aquatic weeds, where possible and safe.
  • Inspect your craft for signs of plants, animals or grit and dirt.
  • Do not move fouled equipment from one area to another.
  • Keep your boat in the water for as short a time as possible. Removing your boat from the water prevents build up of fouling on the hull on the hull and reduces thereby reduces the opportunities for invasive species to colonise.
  • Remove any visible plant, fish, animal matter and mud.
  • Dispose of any material in a rubbish bin or skip. Do not return this to the aquatic environment. It may encourage the spread of an invasive species.
  • Clean all parts of equipment that comes into contact with the water. Always assume that your craft is infested with an invasive species and must be treated accordingly.
  • High pressure wash hull, lines, bumpers, motor, trim tabs, trailer, and all nooks and crannies
  • Drain and flush any water e.g. bilge, live wells, bait buckets, cooling system o and any water that collects in the bottom of your craft.
  • Watch out for hitchhikers on ropes and chains and that may have become entangled in your engine.
  • Dry your boat (if possible) for 5 days (3-4 weeks under damp conditions) if it has been in a known infested water way.
  • Reporting all sightings: Centre for Environmental Data & Recording (CEDaR) – Or via the iRecord App.
Invasive Species Northern Ireland

Invasive Species Northern Ireland