AIS public inspector training course offered
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is offering an aquatic invasive species watercraft inspection training course for members of the public in Sheridan on Sept. 29, 2025.
The training will provide the skills necessary for participants to inspect their own or other watercraft to be used in Wyoming to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species such as zebra or quagga mussels. The training includes information on basic biology, impacts, transport vectors and current distribution of AIS and includes classroom instruction, a question and answer session, and a hands-on watercraft inspection exercise.
Wyoming state law requires anyone transporting a boat into Wyoming March 1 through November 30 from out of state, have the watercraft inspected for AIS before launching on any Wyoming water. In addition, any watercraft that has been on a zebra or quagga mussel-positive water within the last 30 days is required to undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching during all months of the year.
“Being able to certify and seal your own watercraft enables you to fulfill the legal inspection requirement,” said Sheridan Region AIS Coordinator Reed Moore. “While you must still stop at any open AIS check station you pass while traveling with your watercraft, having already completed an inspection of your watercraft will get you back on the road quickly. If you do not pass an open check station on your route of travel, you can still hit the water if you have completed your inspection.”
The training is very convenient, especially for watercraft owners who live near the Wyoming-Montana border and recreate regularly on both states’ waters. Both states require watercraft entering from another state to be inspected before launching.
The training will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wyoming Game and Fish Sheridan Regional Office at 700 Valley View Drive. The training is free, but registration is required. To register, call the Sheridan Regional Office at 307-672-7418.