The Government of British Columbia recently took a lead role in defending freshwater resources against invasive quagga and zebra mussels by unveiling a $1.3 million program for early detection and rapid response.
|
| | British Columbia Environment Minister Mary Polak introduces a new $1.3 million program to protect B.C. waters from zebra and quagga mussels |
The program was announced on March 31 and is being implemented in April, before the summer boating season gets underway. Although quagga and zebra mussels have not been detected in British Columbia, the program will increase protection for the province's streams and lakes. According to British Columbia government, program funding will support: - Three mobile decontamination units.
- Six trained auxiliary conservation officers.
- Highway signage throughout the province.
- Expanded monitoring for zebra and quagga mussels.
- Report All Poachers or Polluters response line coverage.
- Increasing "Clean, Drain, Dry" education and outreach activities.
Boats coming into the province through Alberta will be inspected by teams and, if necessary, decontaminated.
Through the program, teams will inspect and, if necessary, decontaminate boats entering B.C. from Alberta. They also will respond to boats from the U.S. identified as a concern by the Canadian Border Services Agency, as well as U.S. partner agencies. Each crew will be equipped with mobile self-contained decontamination units.
Introduced to the Great Lakes water system in the 1980s, quagga and zebra mussels are now found across much of Eastern Canada and the United States.
These invasive species can cause severe economic damage by clogging intakes and drainpipes of agriculture and hydroelectric facilities, and can wreck havoc on local food chains. A mussel infestation in British Columbia would cost up to $43 million annually to agriculture, hydroelectric and recreational boating sectors of industry, according to a recent news release from the provincial government.
Zebra and quagga mussels have no natural predators in North American waters and no known means of eradication: keeping them out of Pacific Northwest waters is essential.
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region is working to establish a partnership to act as a perimeter defense against invasive mussels in member jurisdictions Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington with input from British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Together, the U.S. states are working to improve coordination by identifying the probable pathways for infestation, developing a plan for addressing inspection and decontamination needs and finding funding measures to prevent contaminated watercraft from launching in the region's waters.
While PNWER jurisdictions are pursuing increased funding for boat inspections and greater coordination across jurisdictional boundaries, it has become evident that this fight needs the power of the U.S. and Canadian federal governments behind it, as the cost of dealing with these invasive species could reach $500 million annually in the region.
| 
