Zebra Mussels Invade Chesapeake Bay

More Zebra Mussels Found in Upper Chesapeake Bay

HAVRE DE GRACE, Md.- Maryland Department of Natural Resources biologists say they found young zebra mussels attached to buoys off Havre de Grace on Dec. 3. DNR officials are asking boaters and anglers to be on the look out for this harmful, invasive mussel.

The biologists collected 20 live zebra mussels attached to the concrete anchor blocks for three channel marker buoys. DNR discovered the mussels when Capt. Shawn Orr and the crew of DNR's A.V. Sandusky pulled the buoys from the water for cleaning and winter storage.

"We know that these mussels are from this year's spawn since these buoys and anchors were deployed this spring," said Matt Ashton, a DNR biologist and mussel expert who helped collect the mussels. "We plan to check these and other buoys every fall, as part of DNR's limited zebra mussel monitoring effort in the upper bay area."

That pretty much makes it official; they're here to stay.  Unless the watermen find a market for them.