The Shuswap Watershed Council (SWC) and Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), two watershed organizations based in the Interior region of B.C., have sent a letter to the new federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Hon. Bernadette Jordan, to express their ongoing concern about the threat of aquatic invasive Zebra and Quagga mussels and call for more action from the federal government.
“Every year we experience invasive mussel-infested watercraft arriving at our borders – heading to the Okanagan, the Shuswap, and other B.C. locations, with the vast majority coming from mussel-infested waters within Canada. And every year, our water is put at risk – for drinking, for fish and other wildlife. Our famous beaches, our water infrastructure, and more, is also put at risk,” OBWB Chair Sue McKortoff said, explaining the importance of the letter.