08/05/2021
Well this $&@! plant will once again change our race route to go around Fairy Island instead of using Devils Elbow in Stoney Lake 🤬.
Starry stonewort (SSW) is nasty stuff.
In the last week, SSW has been discovered in three new areas of Stony Lake, close to Kawartha Park.
What does an SSW infestation mean for us? In lakes where SSW has taken hold, it impedes or prevents recreational activities like boating, waterskiing and swimming. There is plenty of evidence of this in northern US lakes where SSW dominates and outcompetes other aquatic plants.
It causes a loss of aquatic plant diversity and important habitat and shelter for fish. SSW mats grow so thick the fish can't get through it – as they can other aquatic plants or "weeds."
We all need to do our part to prevent its spread. Avoid areas of infestation (see www.environmentcouncil.ca/starry-stonewort for a map of the lake).
DO NOT HIRE A MECHANICAL HARVESTER. In 2020 and 2021 (to date) the Trent Severn Waterway has not issued any permits for mechanical harvesting in our lake. Any harvesting you undertake now is illegal and may be responsible for the spread of SSW to new locations in the lake – as it has been in the past.
When you harvest to remove "weeds" you are creating space in which the opportunistic SSW can flourish.
To learn more about how to boat safely while minimizing the spread, see our website.
