City and county staff conducted nearly 1,800 boat inspections for invasive species at the Bloedel Donovan boat launch and the Sudden Valley Marina between July 14 and September 30.
Jon Hutchings with the city Public Works Department says the inspection program successfully prevented two boats from bringing an aquatic invasive weed - Brazilian Elodea - into Lake Whatcom.
He says nine percent of all the boat owners surveyed reported only using their boat in Lake Whatcom and inland marine waters.
The report recommends that this summer, all boat launches at Lake Whatcom should have limited hours of operation and be staffed with boat inspectors, and recommends that boaters pay for permits and fees to help fund the inspection program.
