The largest decontamination of invasive mussels to date was performed on a barge headed to the Lower Mainland waters.
An invasive species like this could cause a great deal of problems for aquatic ecosystems.
“Invasive species are those that are not native to our ecosystem.” says Gail Wallin, Executive Director for Invasive Species Council of BC (ISCBC).
“If they were introduced into our water bodies, they would actually change the water chemistry, they would change the water clarity, they would feed on the same food sources that other native species, and they would actually change our aquatic ecosystem.”
Even though Zebra mussels have been kept out of BC waters, other aquatic invasives including Eurasian watermilfoil, Yellow flag iris, and the European green crab are established in parts of the province.
The best way to prevent invasive species from entering BC waters, is by cleaning, draining and drying your vessels.
For more information on the invasive species, and how you can practice clean, drain, dry principles, you can visit the ISCBC website here.