Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment has been operating an aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention program since last year that focuses on raising public awareness to protect the province’s waterways from the spread of harmful AIS.
Zebra and quagga mussels are the two main AIS that concern the provincial government. These species are virtually impossible to eradicate; can spread rapidly with one female producing up to one million eggs per year; can disrupt natural food chains, create toxic algae blooms that kill fish and birds; decrease property values; and reduce recreational enjoyment of natural areas.
They can also cause billions of dollars in damage to water-operated infrastructure and can clog water supplies to SaskPower plants, hindering power supply and generation.
Zebra mussels are one to three centimetres long and can vary with brown-black to yellow-white bands in a zigzag pattern. They are also shaped like a triangle or in a D-shape.
Quagga mussels are about four centimetres long and possesses coloured bands that vary from black to brown to cream with few to no zigzag patterns. They possess a curved, rounded shell.
Any freshwater mussel that is attached to your equipment is an invasive mussel and should be reported to the TIPP line — 1-800-667-7561; online; SaskTel cell: #5555 — immediately. Invasive aquatic plants, such as the Eurasian water milfoil, can crowd out native plants, damaging ecosystems, and hindering recreational activities.
Washing your boat with hot water and following the Clean, Drain and Dry protocol will greatly reduce the threat of spreading these species.
With the help of the province’s aquatic invasive species task force, monitoring occurs in several ways, such as:
- The Ministry of Environment, SaskPower and the Upper Souris Watershed Association sampling for invasive mussel veliger;
- The University of Saskatchewan using environmental DNA as a surveillance tool for invasive zebra mussels, with 73 waterbodies sampled last year by the U of S, the University of Regina, the Water Security Agency and the Ministry of Environment;
- The Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, SaskWater, Saskatchewan watershed association groups, and the public using the Saskatchewan Adult Invasive Mussel Monitoring Program (AIMM), a partnership project with non-governmental organizations and other agencies to detect unwanted aquatic mussels. Anyone interested in participating in AIMM can download an app to help with detection
For more information about participating in AIMM, contact the Ministry of Environment at 1-800-567-4224. More information about fishing and aquatic invasive species can be found in the Saskatchewan Anglers’ Guide at www.saskatchewan.ca/fishing.
