Inspections
Our inspection services include full service inspections for all private vessels launching in any inland water. Our staff is trained through approved California Department of Fish and Game inspection and decontamination procedures provided by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Services generally include manning inspection areas, performing inspections, and educating guests on the potential impacts of Quagga, Zebra, and other invasive species.
General inspection protocols are taken directly from the Department of Fish and Game recommendations and include the following information and inspection information. The information is provided to encourage all boaters and inspectors to prevent the spread of invasive species in any inland water.
Various watercraft are the primary transporters of Quagga mussels. All boaters and anyone who accesses freshwater aquatic environments should take the following steps to inhibit the spread of the Quagga mussel:
Inspect all exposed surfaces – small mussels feel like sandpaper to the touch.
Wash the hull of each watercraft thoroughly; preferably with high pressure/hot water.
Remove all plants and animal material.
Drain all water and dry all areas.
Drain and dry the lower outboard unit.
Clean and dry all live-wells.
Empty and dry any buckets.
Dispose of all bait in the trash.
Wait five days and keep watercraft dry between launches into different fresh waters.
Waders, float tubes and other articles of clothing can also carry Quagga larvae in trapped water. Anglers should wash all fishing equipment thoroughly and allow them to dry for the prescribed 5 days prior to using them in any other waterway.
To pass inspection, your vessel must be “clean and dry”. “Clean and dry” means that no dirt, vegetation, or water can be found anywhere on the vessel. This includes internal compartments of the vessel and the engine. When your outboard is lowered, not a drop of water can flow out. If any water is observed anywhere, however slight, your vessel will fail inspection!.
VESSEL REGISTRATION:
All vessel owners must present a hard-copy of their current vessel registration to park staff before proceeding to a mussel inspection station. Registration must be:
Current
Registered in a permissible California county (North of the Tehachapi Mountain Range). Vessels with out-of-state registrations will not be allowed to launch. See map below for more information on restricted counties.
*A Mussel Fee Sticker is required for registered vessels from the CA DMV.
** For unregistered (non-CF) vessels, the registered county of the transporting vehicle will be used to determine eligibility. Vehicle registration paperwork will be required.
*** Owners who have purchased a used vessel are quarantined for 30 days from the date of transfer. If you do not have credible evidence that you have possessed your used vessel for 30 days, you will not be permitted to launch.