Monitoring stations have kept at least 10 boats detected with invasive mussels from crossing into our province, the BC Conservation Officer Service revealed Thursday (Aug. 13).
Chris Doyle, deputy chief of the conservation officer service, said half the watercraft tainted with mussels were bound for the Okanagan, the other half headed to the Thompson region.
Doyle said six of the boats were coming from Ontario, one from Manitoba and three from the U.S.
“I think this shows the program is working,” said Doyle.
The provincial government has been working to keep the invasive zebra and quagga mussels out of B.C., operating nine inspection stations at various provincial border crossing locations, some featuring mussel detection dogs, a program that proved effective in Alberta and has been adopted by our province.
The Okanagan Basin Water Board has been a vocal advocate in recent years for better funding at the provincial and federal levels to intensify resources for busy provincial points of entry from both Alberta and the northwest U.S.
Doyle said the current monitoring system will continue for the rest of the boating season, which generally slows down by the end of September or early October.
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