(Submitted photo/Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society).

By Aaron Schulze

Invasive Species Monitoring

Shuswap-area lakes being monitored for invasive mussels

Jul 6, 2021 | 11:30 AM

REVELSTOKE – The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) will monitor 13 lakes and rivers monthly, and higher priority waterbodies monitored bi-weekly, to prevent invasive zebra and quagga mussels from entering B.C. waters.

CSISS sample across the Columbia-Shuswap region from the Kinbasket Reservoir in the east, to Adams Lake and the Little Shuswap Lake in the west.

Invasive zebra and quagga mussels have been unintentionally introduced into many water bodies in eastern Canada but are not yet known west of Manitoba.

Unfortunately, an adult mussel can firmly attach to watercraft and gear, survive for long periods out of water, and potentially infest a new waterbody in B.C.

Larval mussels are so tiny they can easily go undetected in small amounts of water.

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Provincial Watercraft Inspection Stations are taking measures to prevent the spread of damaging organisms by inspecting and, when necessary, decontaminating watercraft that could be transporting invasive mussels.

“We sample plankton with a very fine mesh net in order to detect any microscopic larvae present in the water column, and we install artificial substrates in the lake to monitor for adult mussels,” Sue Davies-McGill of CSISS said.

Watercraft inspection stations are operational at major border crossings into B.C., and all watercraft — including paddleboards and canoes – must stop to be inspected.

Suspected invasive mussels should be reported to the Conservation Officer Service Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1 877 952-7277.