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Mussel-sniffing dog used by B.C. Conservation Officer Service (submitted photo)
nine inspection stations

Boat inspection for invasive mussels stays at 2020 levels

Apr 8, 2021 | 11:20 AM

The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has not got any further traction from the provincial government on upgrading inspection services for invasive mussels on boats entering B.C.

OBWB has been pushing hard for increased inspection to keep zebra and quagga mussels out of provincial waters.

“There will be the same number of inspection stations, which went from a high of 12 in 2019. In 2020, they had nine and again they are looking at nine in 2021,” OBWB Communications Director Corinne Jackson reported to the board.

The U.S. border inspection stations will not be manned for now.

“The reason for that is they feel the federal border is still going to be closed this summer. If it reopens, they are planning to review it and see whether or not they need to up the number of inspection stations along the southern border and the number of inspectors,” Jackson added.

There were boats being transported into the province by commercial carriers that were found to be infested with mussels.

“In speaking with the province, they feel that they have this pretty well covered off, in that they contacted transport companies and let them know that if you are bringing a watercraft in from the U.S. from a mussel infested area, we need to be made aware of it, so it can be properly inspected,” Jackson said.

A survey done by a contractor last summer of 361 boat owners at Okanagan boat launches found about one-third of those boats had not been inspected before entering the province.

The invasive mussels can cause extensive damage to beaches, habitat and water infrastructure if they get established.

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