WID Training Overview

Clean—A watercraft, trailer or equipment that does not show visible AIS or attached vegetation, dirt, debris, surface deposits, or non-verifiable water. This includes mussel shells or other biological materials and is inclusive of dirt or other residue that could mask the presence of attached mussels or AIS.

 

Drain—To the extent practical, all water drained from any live-well, bait-well, storage compartment, bilge area, engine compartment, deck, ballast tank, water storage and delivery system, cooler or other water storage area on the watercraft, trailer, engine, or equipment.

 

Dry—No standing water; opposite of wet. A watercraft is completely dry if there is no detectable water on the exterior or interior surfaces of the watercraft, and no dampness can be felt on the interior of the watercraft.

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Drying Time—The amount of time out of the water required to assure that all AIS are killed through desiccation. This time requirement varies

widely depending on temperature and humidity conditions. Drying time is not a substitution for decontamination.

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Decontamination—A process used to kill, destroy, or remove aquatic invasive species and other organic material that may be present in or on a conveyance, to the extent technically and measurably possible.

 

Exclusion—Not allowing watercraft or equipment to be launched. In extreme cases, exclusion can be applied to all watercraft, but in most cases, is applied to only watercraft and equipment that are considered to be high risk, when other options are not available.
 

High Risk Watercraft/Equipment—High risk conveyance, watercraft, or equipment can include one or more of the following;

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• Watercraft that has operated on or in any suspect, positive or infested waterbody within the last 30 days;

• Watercraft that is not clean, drained and dry;

• Watercraft that is complex or very complex;

• Watercraft that does not have a seal or receipt; or

• The boat operator or hauler is noncompliant, non-cooperative, and deceptive.​

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Quarantine—The voluntary or mandatory act of securing a watercraft out of water for a required period of time.

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Screening Interview—Asking the watercraft operator a series of questions per the procedures in the WID Manual that are designed to determine the level of risk based on the history of use.

 

Self-Inspection (Voluntary/Mandatory) —A self-inspection program can be implemented alone or as an “off-hours” adjunct to a more direct and comprehensive inspection program. This type of program involves requiring (mandatory) or requesting (voluntary) the cooperation of individual watercraft operators to complete an inspection of their vessel prior to launching by following a set of instructions and completing a checklist provided at an entry station or kiosk.

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Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination (WID)—Any program which seeks to prevent the spread of dreissenid mussels and other AIS on watercraft or equipment by inspecting to verify the conveyance is clean, drain, dry, or decontaminated, prior to launching or upon exiting.

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