20 Boats Found With Invasive Mussels

The BC Conservation Service says it continues to track down boats coming into the province with invasive mussels.

A program to prevent the spread of the damaging mussels into Okanagan lakes has been underway for several years.

Chris Doyle from the Conservation Service says 33-thousand watercraft have been checked this year, through road checks and at the inspection stations at border crossings.

“An of those inspected, 20 were confirmed to have adult invasive mussels, and they came from various jurisdictions in Canada and the US.”

Doyle says some of the violators were en route to places like the Okanagan, the Lower Mainland, and Vancouver Island.

He says 53 vehicles have been ticketed for failing to stop at the inspection stations.

“As well the COS continues to use a mussel detection dog, and the canine unit has detected mussels on several vessels this season,” says Doyle.