Good observation Sir Art, but it's believed that the spawn of the zebra
mussel came in from the ships ballast. Large ships have voids that hold tons
of water to stabilize the ship while empty or when needed. once the ship
reloads cargo or buoyancy is changed (ships traveling from fresh to salt
water will need to adjust ballast as ship in salt water floats higher then
in fresh) the voids are pumped out and thus the spawn gets introduced. The
origin of the spawn is believed to be the black sea. Mark James Bethke
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: MR ART WEIL <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Friday, March 06, 1998 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: Tom and the Zebras
 
 
>Dear Gary;-
>    I know you have done some work in this area. So I'll ask if it is
>probable that Zebra mussels (and perhaps others) have arrived in the
>Great Lakes via Ships. If their attachment is so strong, is it strong
>enough to resist the speed of a transport ship through the water,
>then "drop off" to colonize Lake Erie?
>          Art
>