Stop the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species

Clean-Drain-Dry and stop for watercraft inspection when you travel.

Article Courtesy The Shuswap Watershed Council

Everything we love about the Shuswap - the clean water, beaches, and spending leisure time on a boat or dock is at risk due to small invasive freshwater species called zebra and quagga mussels.

Zebra and quagga mussels originate in Europe but have invaded several lakes and rivers in Eastern and Central North America and as far west as California. Fortunately, they haven’t reached the Shuswap or anywhere in British Columbia and we all need to do our part to keep it that way.

Zebra and quagga mussels would have devastating impacts on the region. The mussels grow and cling to anything below the surface including boat hulls, inside engine compartments, as well as on dock pilings, pipes, rocks, and more. Removing colonies of mussels would be an ongoing maintenance requirement and cost BC property owners and taxpayers an estimated $43 million per year.

Additionally, invasive zebra and quagga mussels pollute water quality through their filter-feeding, competing with native species for food and putting the lake and drinking water at risk. Recent studies in the Great Lakes have linked invasive mussels to toxic algal blooms. When the mussels die, they have a terrible stench and their tiny sharp shells wash up on shorelines that can ruin our enjoyment on beaches.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to eliminate zebra and quagga mussels once they establish in a lake as large and complex as Shuswap Lake. The mussels also reproduce prolifically leading to massive infestations.

What Can be Done?

Prevention is the only option and is of the utmost importance to protect Shuswap Lake and everything we love about it. Zebra and quagga mussels move from one lake to another by attaching to boats (and other watercraft) or concealing in small compartments of water. Therefore, boaters must take the following measures to avoid moving mussels from one waterbody to another:

  • Wash off plants, mud, and clinging marine life. Then, clean, drain and dry your boat (or other watercraft) and trailer after every time you take it out of a lake or river. 
  • Waders, fishing gear, and other accessories should also be cleaned and rinsed after every use.
  • Wash, rinse, dry and drain bilges, ballast tanks, bags, baitwells, engine coolant systems, and inflatable water toys on dry land. Then, mop up standing water with a chamois cloth.
  • Ensure watercraft and gear are dry before launching or using into another body of water.
  • Stop at watercraft inspection stations when you travel with any type of watercraft. Inspection is mandatory for sport boats, kayaks, canoes, car-toppers, personal watercraft, paddleboards, and sailboats.

Stopping at an inspection station is free but failing to do so while transporting a watercraft carries a heavy fine. If you’re visiting the Shuswap from outside of BC and did not have your boat or watercraft inspected, be sure to contact the provincial RAPP line at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277) before you launch.

In addition to preventing an invasion of zebra and quagga mussels to the Shuswap, the same measures must be taken to prevent spreading existing aquatic invasive species to other regions of the Shuswap or BC. Invasive freshwater clams (also known as Golden, Asian, or Pygmy Clam) occur in the Salmon Arm reach of Shuswap Lake. By practicing Clean, Drain, Dry, we can slow their spread to other areas.

Invasive freshwater clams are small triangular-shaped shellfish that are usually less than 2.5 cm (1 in). They are golden brown or yellow-green and have distinctive growth rings. They have also been used as food, fishing bait, or aquarium species and have the potential to cause harm to Shuswap Lake by impacting water quality, reducing biodiversity, and competing with native species for food and habitat.

You can report sightings of invasive freshwater clams and other invasives on the ‘Report Invasives BC’ app. For suspected zebra and quagga mussels contact the RAPP hotline at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277).

Whether you’re a visitor or a resident of the Shuswap region, be sure to do your part to prevent and minimize the spread of aquatic invasive species.

The Shuswap Watershed Council is a watershed-based partnership organization that works on water quality and safe recreation in the Shuswap. For more information contact Erin Vieira c/o the Fraser Basin Council in Kamloops at 250-314-9660 or evieira@fraserbasin.ca www.shuswapwater.ca.