Microscopic view of Bythotrephes cederstroemi, or spiny water flea. Approximately 0.5 inches in length, with its barbed tail making up half its body length, the water flea is an invasive species. Credit: Pieter Johnson

Preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species is many things — important, challenging, never-ending — but rarely entertaining.

This is a fact known well to Tim Campbell, AIS communications specialist for the Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin Extension, who spends his days developing and coordinating AIS programs in Wisconsin.

But that doesn't keep Campbell from trying to add some fun to the task.

Five years ago he crafted a holiday song titled "Twelve Days of Invasive Species Christmas." The music was based on the classic with the similar name, but the lyrics were updated with a Great Lakes educational message.

This year Campbell — with Bret Shaw of UW Extension and a substantial cast of others — is at it again. They've released a highly produced video titled "Stop the Spiny Water Flea Invasion."

It may be viewed at stopthespiny.com.

The video includes a takeoff of actor George C. Scott addressing troops in the movie "Patton." But this time it's a costumed thespian playing a water flea and barking out orders to his fellow invasives.

"It's not like anything you've seen in AIS literature before," Campbell said. "We're looking for new ways to reach people, obviously."

The offering is not merely a creative leap, however. It includes all of the practical, sound advice of "clean, drain and dry."

It's just one plank of a ramped-up effort as Wisconsin officials prepare for the eighth annual Boat Landing Blitz, one of the state's largest annual efforts to educate the public on AIS prevention measures.

This year's blitz will be held over the Fourth of July weekend at hundreds of boat landings statewide, including dozens in southeastern Wisconsin.

The effort is organized by the DNR and UW Extension and includes hundreds of volunteers. Most of the funding comes from the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Campbell said.

Landing blitz volunteers will be stationed at public launches, where they will share information and ensure boaters are taking required actions such as removing plants and draining water.

The 2015 landing blitz involved inspections of more than 10,000 boats and contacts with more than 23,000 people during the three-day effort, according to the DNR. Volunteers and staff logged nearly 3,500 hours last year "helping protect our waters from the negative impacts of invasive species," the agency said.

Wisconsin's inland waters are especially vulnerable to invasive species being transferred by boaters from Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

The Great Lakes have been ravaged by AIS brought to the region by international shipping. Lake Michigan has more than 180 nonnative species, including about 50 linked to substantial ecological and economic damage.

But there are more than 15,000 reasons to continue the battle against the spread of AIS.

"We've got many inland lakes and rivers that are free of invasives or have just one or two nonnative species," Campbell said. "It's never been more important to work to protect them."

A 2015 survey found at least one AIS in about 75% of Wisconsin lakes that had public boat landings, Campbell said. However, a high percentage of the findings were purple loosestrife, a plant that while not desirable is not as detrimental to a water body as many others.

The "clean, drain and dry" procedure will help prevent transfers of such scourges as Eurasian water-milfoil (820 reported occurrences in the 2015 survey), zebra mussels (251) and spiny water flea (13).

Authorities recommend the following steps to prevent the spread of AIS:

■ Inspect boats, trailers and equipment.

■ Remove all attached aquatic plants and animals.

■ Drain all water from boats, vehicles and equipment, including live wells and buckets containing fish.

■ Never move plants or live fish away from a water body.

■ Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.

■ Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer.

To avoid spreading water fleas, it's especially important to rinse mud off anchors and tires. The fleas' eggs are contained in bottom substrate.

Campbell said the spiny water flea is relatively confined in Wisconsin and presents an excellent case for continued AIS education and use of prevention procedures.

Perhaps the new video will help. And there's no doubt the message will be delivered this weekend by person-to-person contact to a substantial part of the target audience.

"The landing blitz provides the opportunity to reach thousands of boaters, including many that may not have previously heard the aquatic invasive species message," Campbell said. "The effort helps reinforce that everyone, from frequent boaters to those that only get out one weekend a year, can take actions to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species."

Chinook stocking meeting: The DNR will host a meeting Thursday in Milwaukee to present information and accept comments on proposed cuts to chinook salmon stocking in Lake Michigan.

Earlier this month the Lake Michigan Committee recommended a 62% reduction in chinook stocking. As part of its recommendation, the committee cited changes in the lake's ecosystem brought on by quagga mussels, historic lows in alewife biomass and substantial natural reproduction of chinook in Michigan rivers.

The committee proposed a lakewide stocking of 690,000 chinook, down from the current 1,800,000. The cuts would take effect in spring 2017.

Under the plan, 355,000 chinook would be stocked in Wisconsin, 200,000 in Michigan, 90,000 in Illinois and 45,000 in Indiana.

The Lake Michigan Committee includes the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and members of the other state management agencies that border Lake Michigan as well as tribal representatives in Michigan.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, 600 E. Greenfield Ave.