B.C. Premier Christy Clark was in her home riding of West Kelowna on Thursday to announce new measures to combat invasive mussels.
The province said Thursday that it is bolstering its system of inspection stations. The system is aimed at detecting any invasive mussels that might be hitching a ride on boats coming into B.C. from other jurisdictions.
“Two brand new border inspection stations will open at Yahk and Midway, bringing the total number of inspections stations in B.C. to 10 locations. The province’s busiest station at Golden will be open 24 hours. The remaining nine stations will have their hours extended generally from dawn to dusk. However, actual opening and closing times will vary to help ensure compliance. The inspection operating season will now run from mid-March until mid-November,” the Ministry of Environment said in a media release.
The province said it will also be using a specially trained dog at inspection stations this summer to help find boats carrying invasive mussels.
The announcement on the fight to keep invasive mussel species out of B.C. waterways and lakes was alluded to during Clark’s visit to Kelowna Feb. 24.
“I certainly know once it comes there is no stopping it,” Clark said. “It’s not just the cost to our environment, it’s the cost to all of the businesses there that depend on a healthy lake and healthy water system”
At the time, Clark noted the zebra and quagga mussel larvae were found in Montana.
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That U.S. state is currently looking to find $11 million in funding to begin boat inspections to prevent the invasive mussel from spreading.
The invasive species has yet to be found in B.C. water, but boat inspections in 2015 and 2016 found dead mussels on boats making their way into the province.
West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater, whose community is on Okanagan Lake, has said in the past he would like to see “enhanced inspection both at the Canadian border and the Alberta border.”
Previously boat inspection stations have operated seven days a week, but some were calling for an expansion to 24-hour check-stops.
“One of the things that we would like to see is those patrols established for a greater period of time throughout the day so that it is monitored on a 24 hour basis,” Kelowna Chamber of Commerce President Tom Dyas said.
Once the mussel establishes itself in a waterway, there is no means of killing it.
The Great Lakes, Midwest and Colorado River basin have experienced significant economic and environmental consequences as zebra and quagga mussels clog water intakes, irrigation and water treatment infrastructure, and cause negative effects for other aquatic life.
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