On Saturday, the Ministry of Environment said BC’s Conservation Officer Service (COS) pulled off its largest-ever invasive mussel decontamination after learning of an infected barge heading west. According to the ministry, the barge from Lake Ontario was headed to a Lower Mainland waterway for industrial use. Enter BC’s Invasive Mussel Defense Program.
Read more: BC’s invasive mussel defense program intercepts 5 infested boats from Ontario
“They knew the consequences of allowing the barge in BC waters. could have significant impacts on local ecosystems and infrastructure because the invasive mussel could establish and outcompete native species,” the ministry said. “Inspectors located the trucking company and its cargo, a huge barge carried in two 40-foot (12-meter) long sections, each 10 feet (three meters) high and 10 feet wide.” Story continues below ad A close-up view of the polluted barge from Lake Ontario. BC Conservation Service Officer The ministry said the barge was redirected to a warehouse in Richmond for full decontamination, “which was the largest of its kind for invasive zebra mussels since the program began in 2015.” Inspectors from the Okanagan and Lower Mainland were brought together, with the ministry saying they used specialized equipment to remove thousands of invasive mussels during about 10 hours of work over two days. 2:19 Call for more funding for invasive mussel program Call for more funding for invasive mussel program – March 10, 2022 “Many of the mussels were viable, meaning they could multiply in BC waters if given the chance. This has not yet happened in the province,” the ministry said. Trending Stories
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Story continues below ad “This was the largest, most significant discovery of zebra mussels on a vessel that our teams had ever experienced,” said COS Insp. Dave Webster. “To decontaminate the vessel, we needed a specialized operational plan and space due to its sheer size.” Webster said he was proud of how quickly everyone mobilized to stop the contaminated barge from reaching BC waters. “This is a testament to the success of the Invasive Mussel Defense Program and its coordinated approach with our neighboring provinces to address the threat of this invasive species,” said Webster. 2:23 Invasive Zebra mussels found in BC aquarium Invasive Zebra mussels found in BC aquarium – March 6, 2021 The ministry said the barge was also issued a mandatory 30-day quarantine period, which expired this week. “This incredible work shows the value of the program and the dedication of our staff to make it work,” said Environment Minister George Hayman. Story continues below ad “The fact that BC received notification from several western provinces shows how effective this multi-layered approach is through collective and collaborative prevention efforts across Western Canada and the US.” 1:29 Zebra mussels wash up along Grand Beach, Manitoba Zebra mussels wash up along Grand Beach, Manitoba – June 6, 2017 The ministry says some of the mussel samples will be used to train two detection dogs, Kilo and Major, who are both German shepherds. The ministry said that in 2021, the Invasive Mussel Defense Program conducted 33,000 inspections, with 244 identified as high risk. It also reported that 100 decontamination orders had been issued and that 18 vessels had been quarantined to cover the required drying time. It also reported that COS inspectors completed 153 decontaminations in 2021. For more on BC’s Invasive Mussel Defense Program, or cleaning, draining and drying, visit the province’s website. Story continues below ad 2:07Meet Major: The latest addition to BC’s mussel defense program Meet Major: The latest addition to BC’s mussel defense program – May 31, 2019 © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
