Minnesota DNR says to check for invasive species before buying or selling used water equipment

Looking to sell or buy a boat or maybe a jet ski? There's no question, the time is now. But the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wants to remind boaters of the rules when it comes to buying and selling used water equipment.

Whether you are buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace or just getting a good deal from your neighbor, it's important to remember to watch out for that little extra addition you didn't pay for that could be hitchhiking on your used dock, boat, lift, trailer or swim raft.

Invasive species like zebra mussels or Eurasian watermilfoil are at a much higher risk of spreading this time of year from used boating equipment. Cleaning, draining and drying this equipment is not just a suggestion — it's a Minnesota state law.

"If you're gonna move a dock, lift or swim raft from one lake or river into a different lake or river, in addition to pulling it out, cleaning, draining it, you need to dry it, which means sitting it out of water for 21 days before you put it into that new lake or river. Whether you're bringing one into your lake or giving it to a neighbor's lake, we want to make sure that we're just not helping any of our aquatic invasive species in the state spread," April Rust, an aquatic invasive species training coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources, said.

If you are looking to hire help moving docks or lifts, the Department of Natural Resources has a list of permitted lake service provider businesses.