Can Permit Stickers Protect Waterways?

Maintaining the cleanliness of the bodies of water used for water sports, fishing and sailing is the responsibility of local governments and boat owners. If the water we use becomes polluted or overrun with harmful species of plant or animal that be a loss for all. Some jurisdictions are looking for new ways to protect our waterways from harm.

Can permit stickers be used in the fight against invasive species of animals and plants? This is what has been proposed in Minnesota. The idea is that boats that have had problems with things like zebra mussels would use labels to alert others to this fact. That way, these boats will be easily identified when they pass through waters that have not been infested. Boats with permit stickers that indicate they have been infested with an invasive species would have to be inspected before they could enter bodies of water that are clean.

This is only a proposal and the measures have not been put into place yet. It is not clear just how voluntary the permit stickers would be or who would be in charge of making certain that boat owners are honest in displaying the correct sticker.