News Archive

The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) acted on a variety of issues affecting California’s natural resources at its Dec.11-12 meeting in Sacramento, including emergency action to list the invasive golden mussel as a restricted species. The Commission also acted to extend emergency regulations 90 days for the recreational catch-and-release white sturgeon season and added language for permitted catch handling. The public was able to participate in the meeting in person, via webinar and by phone.

Golden mussel, an invasive, non-native freshwater bivalve, was recently discovered in the Port of Stockton by California Department of Water Resources staff while conducting routine operations. Suspected golden mussels have also been identified at O’Neill Forebay in Merced County and are currently undergoing genetic testing for confirmation.

Preventing harmful impacts of non-native plants and animals protects the biodiversity of California — home to more species than any other state in the union.

CDFW was informed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) that divers monitoring for aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe detected invasive New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in areas off the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. New Zealand mudsnail samples were subsequently positively identified by experts within CDFW and an outside genetics lab. This is the first time the species has been detected in Lake Tahoe.

As another California boating season winds down, boaters are being asked to remember the importance of cleaning, draining and drying their watercraft to combat the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels.