Philip Sanzone of the Fulton Chain of Lakes Association approached the Inlet and Webb Town Boards with a request to create and enact a local law that he says will make it easier to keep invasive species out of the Fulton Chain.
There is currently Eurasian Milfoil, an invasive aquatic plant, in Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Lakes, Sanzone said.
And without proper control measures, the recreational quality of the lakes will lessen and do ripple damage to the local tourist economy.
The proposed law would be enforced by local and state law enforcement agencies and would require every boat launched in the Fulton Chain to be thoroughly inspected beforehand.
Inspections would include removal of all aquatic plants and/or animals from both the inside and outside of a vehicle, watercraft, trailer, tow vehicle, as well as any other recreational or fishing gear that had previously come in contact with any other water body.
The boat owner would also be required to remove any standing water that is visible to the unaided eye.
Any removed aquatic species and water must be discarded a safe distance from the shoreline.
This proposed law would also require marinas and owners of private launches to reasonably inspect the outsides of boats.
Chris and Diane Gaige of Old Forge’s Rivett’s Marina spoke on behalf of boaters and marina owners, in urging mindfulness to excessive inconvenience and undue cost burdens.
They said educational measures such as posters and fliers should be fully implemented before putting too many extreme burdens on boaters and business people.
We don’t want valued visitors to go elsewhere because of excessive inconvenience.
“We depend on good waterways, too,” Chris said, but he added that balance is important too.
Town of Webb Supervisor Ted Riehle and Sanzone both agreed that any proposed law should be modified to remove the onus of enforcement from private marina owners.
