Updates on the Asian Clam discovery in Owasco Lake:
Guidance from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County:
We are asking lakeshore residents to explore their shoreline to see if any Asian clam shells have washed up in the area. Please rake the sediment near and just below the waterline to see if you can find any live clams. If a clam or shell is found that fits the description of an Asian clam, we are asking that you take a photograph or a sample and report it on the Owasco Lake Network at www.owascolake.org. Please contact Jessica Miles in the Owasco Lake Watershed Inspection Program with any questions about identifying clams in Owasco Lake at 252-4171 ext. 120. If you find a clam in a lake that is not Owasco Lake, please call Amy Barra at Cornell Cooperative Extension at 255-1183.
We are asking boaters and people who fish to be extra cautious. We do not yet know the extent of the infestation and are hoping to keep the clams confined to the areas we know they already inhabit. Here are some ways to help stop the spread of the Asian clam:
• Do not keep golden clams in aquariums or water gardens; if you already have them, do not dispose of waste water in or anywhere near a body of water
• Do not dump bait buckets into the lake
• Make sure to fully inspect and clean your boat if it is necessary to move it into an uninfected body of water. Be sure to eliminate water from the equipment and make sure to dry any parts that come into contact with water.
•Remember to never release fish or other aquatic animals into a waterway, unless that is where they came from.
Links to more information and recent news articles:
Clam guidance from OWN: http://owascolake.org/joomla/
Asian Clam background from the Finger Lakes Institute: http://fli.hws.edu/asian_clams.asp
Auburn Citizen article: http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/article_59c381b2-e2f4-11df-8e09-001cc4c03286.html
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