SANDRA M STANWAY
Brooks Bulletin
The provincial government will invest about $18 million over five years in defence against aquatic invasive species such as quagga and zebra mussels.
The funds would be about $18.1 million for operating over three years and $2.1 million for capital funding over five years.
Just ahead of the opening of the inspection stations this month, Rebecca Schulz, minister of environment and protected areas, said that while the province is free of mussels there are increasing reports of them in provinces and states.
“These species can wreak havoc on waterways and ruin infrastructure, destroy habitats and cause hundreds of millions in damages,” she said.
The funds would see the expansion of inspection, detection and rapid response programs. The number of inspection stations will increase to 11, three K9 sniffer dogs and handlers will help with inspections and the province will fund a dip tank decontamination pilot project as well as 14 mobile decontamination systems.
Watercraft are backed into a dip tank filled with water at such a temperature that mussels are killed.
“Our province is doing more to fight these invasive species than anywhere else in Canada. These additional inspection stations and K-9 inspection dogs will help us step up protections across Alberta, and we will be announcing even more right before boating season,” said Schulz.
As of Oct. 31, 2024, there were 13,408 watercraft inspections completed with 15 confirmed positive for invasive mussels. About 20 per cent of drivers transporting watercraft attempted to bypass watercraft inspection stations in Alberta in 2024.
As for water bombers, which land on Alberta’s lakes especially during fire season, the risk of an aquatic invasive species, like quagga and zebra mussels, being picked up in open water is low.
“Wildfire follows protocol to decontaminate equipment upon entering and exiting the province,” said Ryan Fournier, Schulz’s press secretary.
