Power Lunch: Golden Mussels & Protecting Our Waters

Join us for a Power Lunch focused on a very real and serious issue potentially facing our local waters—the Golden Mussel. The lunch will be upstairs at The EATery at Mammoth Brewing Co.

In October 2024, a new invasive species—the Golden Mussel—was discovered in California’s Sacramento River Delta. It’s already spread rapidly, and if it reaches the Eastern Sierra, it will fundamentally alter the ecosystems we rely on. Local waters, fisheries, and the outdoor economy that supports this community could all be at risk.

Presented in partnership with the Town of Mammoth Lakes Office of Outdoor Recreation and Mammoth Lakes Recreation, this Power Lunch will take a closer look at what this threat means for our region.

Nick Buckmaster, Fisheries Supervisor with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, will talk about the history of the Golden Mussel, known risk factors, and what’s being done to keep it out of the Eastern Sierra—while there’s still time. Nick also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Crowley Fish Foundation and brings more than a decade of local experience in fisheries management and water policy.

Mono County has already taken action. On March 26, 2026 the Board of Supervisors adopted a new ordinance requiring mandatory water vessel inspections before launching in local waterways—recognizing that voluntary measures are no longer enough to prevent the spread of this highly destructive species. >>> Click here to read the full press release.

The Power Lunch will also include a shorter presentation from Mammoth Lakes Recreation on Tangle Free Waters.

Taking place just ahead of Fishmas, this is the best time to get up to speed on something that could have devastating impacts on our waters. Not just for your own understanding, but so you can pass it along—whether that’s to customers, guests, or the people you interact with every day.

Register today.



Photo: Sampling plates hauled from the water at the Port of Stockton were completely encrusted with mussels on Oct. 23, 2025. The plates are used to track the golden mussel invasion. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters