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Water-related Equipment

What is Water-related Equipment?

Water-related equipment is any equipment that comes into contact with water from a water body. It can include:

  • watercraft trailers
  • docks
  • fishing gear (e.g., lures, net, bait bucket, auger)
  • gill nets
  • PFDs
  • scuba gear
  • anchors
  • paddles
  • ropes
  • hunting decoys
  • scientific equipment (e.g., Ponar grab, Kemmerer sampler)
  • construction equipment
  • beach toys (e.g., sand pail)
  • floatable devices and inflatables (e.g., floating tubes, mattress and towables (i.e., boats and riding toys), rafts and water mats)

Using Water-related Equipment in a Water Body in Manitoba

To prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), all surface water-users must take the following steps before moving water-related equipment from one water body into another water body. These requirements are in effect year-round.


Placing Water-related Equipment into a Water Body

Before placing water-related equipment into a water body, you need to:

  • ensure the water-related equipment is free of aquatic invasive species, aquatic plants (e.g., weeds and algae) and mud.
  • drain any residual water. This includes water in bait buckets. If there is water present, it must be drained away from the water body or storm drain.
  • dry completely or decontaminate the water-related equipment.

Note: if returning to the same water body on the next trip, drying completely or decontaminating is not required.


Removing Water-related Equipment from a Water Body

Whenever water-related equipment is removed from a water body in Manitoba, and prior to leaving the shore, you need to:

  • ensure the water-related equipment is free of aquatic invasive species and aquatic plants (e.g., weeds and algae).
  • drain all water. This includes water in bait buckets.

Removing Water-related Equipment from an AIS Control Zone

When exiting an AIS Control Zone with water-related equipment, in addition to the removing steps above, you need to:

Note: if returning to the same water body on the next trip, decontamination is not required.

The Open-water Season Checklist is a step-by-step resource that can help you comply with the Manitoba government’s AIS Regulation.


Removing Water-related Equipment from a Water Body in the Winter (Ice-covered) Months

In winter, aquatic invasive species can be spread by water-related equipment being moved from one water body to another. The requirements for water-related equipment apply year round.

The Winter (Ice-covered) Season Checklist is a step-by-step resource that can help you comply with the Manitoba government’s AIS Regulation.


Approved Decontamination Methods for Water-related Equipment

After exiting a water body with water-related equipment and at the shore, you need to:

  • remove AIS and aquatic plants (e.g., weeds and algae) from the water-related equipment.
  • drain all water.

In addition to the exiting steps above, water-related equipment must be decontaminated if it:

  • cannot be dried completely before it is placed into another water body, or
  • was last used in an AIS Control Zone and before it is placed into another water body.

To decontaminate, you can:

  • take the water-related equipment to a watercraft inspection station.
  • use one of the approved methods listed in Schedule C: Approved Decontamination Methods for Water-related Equipmentof the Manitoba government’s Aquatic Invasive Species Regulation as indicated in Table 1 below.

Note: when choosing a method outlined in Schedule C (Table 1), in most cases the water-related equipment must also be dried before it is placed into another water body.  

Approved Decontamination Methods for Water-related Equipment (Schedule C)

Table 1. Water-related equipment may be decontaminated using the treatment indicated in column 1 of the table below following the procedures set out in columns 2, 3, 4 and 5.


 Column 1
Product

 Column 2 
Dilution

Column 3 
Method

Column 4 
Duration

Column 5 
Next Steps

Bleach 5.25% (household sodium hypochloride)

100 ml bleach to 1 L of water

Completely submerge and ensure the item is in direct contact with solution.

30 minutes

Rinse thoroughly with potable water and wipe down with a cloth.

Vinegar (white) (5% acetic acid)

no dilution required

Completely submerge and ensure the item is in direct contact with solution.

  60 minutes

Rinse thoroughly with potable water and wipe down with a cloth

7% Hydrogen Peroxide

64 ml to 1 L of water

Completely submerge and ensure the item is in direct contact with solution.

  60 minutes

Rinse thoroughly with potable water and wipe down with a cloth.

Table Salt (NaCl)

10 ml of salt to 1 L of water

Completely submerge and ensure the item is in direct contact with solution.

  24 hours

Rinse thoroughly with potable water and wipe down with a cloth.

Hot water (>60°C)

N/A

Completely submerge and ensure the item is in direct contact with water at all times.

  10 minutes

Wipe down with a cloth.

Hot water (>60°C)

N/A

Clean with hot water (minimum 60 C) that is discharged at a pressure between 40 to 60 psi. The water must be sprayed no more than 10 cm from the surface being cleaned.

All surfaces being cleaned must receive a minimum of 10 seconds of exposure to the hot water.

Wipe down with a cloth.

Temperatures below -10°C  

N/A

Expose item to required minimum temperature.

Three consecutive days

None