Castanet – November 13, 2019
Watercraft inspection stations found 19 watercraft heading to BC waters were carrying invasive zebra or quagga mussels.
A report from the Okangan Basin Water Board said between late April and Sept. 15, the province conducted more than 50,000 inspections. Of these, 1,240 watercraft were considered high risk.
Those 19 were travelling from Ontario (14), Michigan (2), Utah (2) and North Carolina (1) and were headed for the Lower Mainland (8), Vancouver Island (4), Okanagan (3), the Kootenays (2), Skeena (1) and Alaska (1).
The seasonal program ended in October and final numbers are expected soon.
North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold has championed the need for more checkpoints to keep the invasive species out of BC waterways.