Brad Ifert, South Central District manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said agency aquatic-invasive-species staff coordinate statewide watercraft inspections and that the program will deploy a seasonal team this summer to inspect boaters and collect data.

Ifert said NGPC inspected more than 8,000 watercraft statewide in 2024 and expects a team of about 14–15 seasonal inspectors in the coming season. He asked anglers to cooperate with inspectors and to report anything unusual to the agency contact listed in NGPC materials.

Ifert described the current distribution of zebra mussels in Nebraska: they are widespread in the eastern Missouri River system and have been detected in several isolated lakes around Omaha and Beaver Lake, but NGPC has so far kept them out of most of the western and central portions of the state. He said anglers who fish in neighboring states should clean boats and trailers before launching in Nebraska.

On Asian carp, Ifert said silver and bighead carp have been found moving up the Platte and Loop rivers toward the central system and that NGPC discovered a dead adult below the central diversion near North Platte in 2023; he said the finding was notable but that staff had not documented other adults in that location. He advised anglers to be able to identify larval and juvenile Asian carp if they use bait from rivers.

Ifert also said Eurasian watermilfoil is appearing in more lakes as sampling expands; NGPC will treat selected lakes and is using cleared cedar and brush as fish attractors in other projects but asked boaters to remove vegetation from gear after visiting infested lakes. Staff named Kristar (Christopher) Star and Jenna Pugles as program staff who lead the agency’s aquatic invasive species effort.

NGPC said it will continue inspections and public outreach aimed at delaying the spread of zebra mussels, Asian carp and invasive plants.