Help stop the spread of invasive plants and animals in our waters!

Invasive plants and animals harm the environment, block waterways, clog equipment, and can be costly to manage. They can be small and hard to spot so are easily spread on damp equipment and clothing. Read more on plants and animals to look out for. Once established they become extremely difficult and expensive to eradicate, which is why it is so important to prevent their spread in the first place.

Below are some suggested actions that can help protect the water bodies you manage or use.

Guidance for clubs

Everyone using your waters should Check Clean Dry after leaving the water:

Check

Check your gear after leaving the water for mud, aquatic animals or plant material. Remove anything you find and leave it at the site.

Clean

Clean everything thoroughly as soon as you can, paying attention to nets, waders, and areas that are damp and hard to access. Use hot water if possible.

Dry

Dry everything for as long as possible before using elsewhere as some invasive plants and animals can survive for two weeks in damp conditions.

Suggested ways to help members and visitors to follow Check Clean Dry

• Display Check Clean Dry materials by the entrance / exit to waterbodies.
• Limit access to water bodies, preferably to a single point where Check Clean Dry signs are displayed. Visitors should log in and out, confirming that they have cleaned and inspected their equipment.
• Install cleaning facilities at access points.
• If possible, provide equipment that can be borrowed and used in club waters instead of personal equipment (e.g. trailers for boaters, nets and drogues for anglers).
• Put waterproof Check Clean Dry stickers on any club-owned equipment to remind users to follow the guidance.
• Consider additional measures for competitions and events.
• Nominate a Check Clean Dry champion to promote biosecurity.

Download a poster for clubs and managers of waterbodies with tips on improving biosecurity at your club.

Tools to help you improve the biosecurity facilities at your site 

A set of tools has been developed to provide site managers with recommendations for improving onsite biosecurity facilities. Enter information about the site into the Biosecurity facility decision support tool (Excel) to generate a list of options, and find out more about each one in the User guide (PDF).

Further guidance for fisheries

• GB Code of Conduct on Invasive Non-native Species for Recreational Angling
• Biosecurity guidance / plan for fisheries owners in GB 

Further guidance for boating / paddling clubs

• Code of Conduct for Recreational Boating and Invasive Non-native Species
• Environmental Self-Audit for Clubs/Centres

Free resources

A range of free Check Clean Dry materials are available to help you raise awareness, including biosecurity signs to display by entry and exit points to the water. 

Other ways to help stop the spread

If you would like to get more involved in protecting your watercourses from invasive non-native species you could:

• Join a Local Action Group working on invasive species management, or get involved in controlling floating pennywort.
• Look out for and record invasive non-native species online via iRecord or through a smartphone app. View free ID guides for over 60 species.
• Take free online training in identification, recording and biosecurity.

 Thank you for helping to protect the environment.