Inspectors find invasive mussels on boat entering Saskatchewan

Inspectors from Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment recently discovered invasive mussels on a boat entering the province.

In a media release Wednesday, the ministry said a routine inspection was conducted July 3 on a boat that had been purchased outside the province. The boat was checked at an inspection station on Highway 16 near the Manitoba border.

After the mussels were discovered, ministry inspectors decontaminated the boat.

“This is very good news, and shows that Saskatchewan’s efforts to protect our waterbodies from aquatic invasive species are working,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said in the release.

“It also highlights the importance of making sure all watercraft purchased outside the province, especially from jurisdictions known to have such species, are inspected before being launched in Saskatchewan waters.”

Conservation officers also found invasive mussels while inspecting a boat at the Canada-United States border in May.

Saskatchewan has eight mobile watercraft decontamination units as part of its response to aquatic invasive species (AIS). The program has stations set up along the Manitoba border and at other locations throughout the province.

The ministry said the station that intercepted the mussels on this occasion opened earlier this year.

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia work together to prevent AIS from entering Western Canada.

“It can be almost impossible to get rid of these invasive species once they become established, so investments in prevention are critical, potentially saving millions in annual management costs,” Duncan said in the release.

“In addition to roadside boat inspections and decontaminations, our program focuses on public education, including the Clean, Drain, Dry Program for watercraft, and ongoing monitoring of our province’s waterbodies for AIS threats.”

AIS are plant, animal and invertebrate species that can damage aquatic habitat, fisheries and recreational resources as well as power generation, irrigation and municipal water infrastructure.