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Sask. waters free of invasive mussels in 2018

The success is due in part to the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Task Force and the Sask. Adult Invasive Mussel Monitoring Program
invasive zebra mussels stock
Zebra mussels (Shutterstock)

Good news for Saskatchewan's bodies of water — there were no confirmed findings of invasive mussels in the province in 2018.

The Government of Saskatchewan sampled 121 waterbodies throughout the province.

“We are pleased to see that our prevention efforts were successful once again last year,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said in a press release. “Our government focuses on public awareness through education and targeted signage about our Clean, Drain, Dry program, roadside boat inspections, decontaminations and regular monitoring of Saskatchewan’s busy waterbodies.”

Throughout 2018, more than 2,900 watercraft were checked for signs of aquatic invasive species (AIS). More than 830 were labelled as high risk and requiring detailed inspection. Fifty suspected watercraft underwent decontamination, and five watercraft were found to be carrying AIS. Those watercraft were decontaminated and quarantined before they could be used in any waterbodies within the province.

With help from the province’s AIS Task Force, monitoring occurs in several other ways, including:

  • invasive mussel sampling by the Ministry of Environment, SaskPower and Upper Souris Watershed Association;
  • the University of Saskatchewan uses environmental DNA as a surveillance tool for invasive zebra mussels, with 73 waterbodies sampled in 2018 by the University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, Water Security Agency and the Ministry of Environment; and
  • the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport, SaskWater, Saskatchewan Watershed Association groups and the general public utilize the Saskatchewan Adult Invasive Mussel Monitoring Program (AIMM), a partnership project with non-government organizations and other agencies to detect unwanted aquatic invasive mussels.

“Aquatic invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels pose a serious threat to our lakes and waterways,” Duncan said.  “Prevention is the most effective way to control their spread, as they can be impossible to eliminate if they become established in a waterbody.”

Why are mussels such a concern? According to the government's AIMM guide, zebra and quagga mussels are "threatening the livelihood of Saskatchewan waters." They are non-native species that can cause economic and ecological harm. The mussels are typically transported by boats from the ocean into freshwater. These mussels have adapted to North American waters and are able to reproduce at an alarming rate; just one adult mussel can produce up to one million veligers (baby mussels). The veligers can then get into pipes and block them as they grow. 

The mussles can therefore have a negative impact on aquatic habitats, fisheries, and water-related infrastructure, including irrigation, power generation, and municipal water supplies.

Invasive mussels are currently found in Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and 34 states, including Minnesota, Montana, and North Dakota.

Provincial regulations have made it mandatory for individuals transporting watercraft in Saskatchewan to stop at watercraft inspection stations and submit to inspection. Not doing so may result in a $500 fine. It is illegal to transport prohibited aquatic invasive species into Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan partners with various provincial organizations, along with Canada Border Services Agency and provincial governments in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and the Yukon, to co-ordinate prevention efforts.

More information about fishing and aquatic invasive species can be found in the Saskatchewan Anglers’ Guide and at www.saskatchewan.ca/fishing

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