FILE PHOTO - A boat propeller engulfed with quagga mussels.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/US National Parks Service
November 09, 2023 - 10:27 AM
Five BC Interior Conservative MPs have written a letter to the federal government demanding proper resources be put in place to protect lakes in BC from the invasive zebra and quagga mussels.
The zebra and quagga mussels can live out of water for up to a month and once introduced into lakes they can spread fast and cause major damage. If they make their way into BC it will result in a financial burden of $64 million to $129 million each year, according to a recent report from the provincial government.
Kelowna-Lake Country’s MP Tracy Gray, along with North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold, Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola MP Dan Albas, Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Frank Caputo and Kootenay-Columbia Rob Morrison have sent a letter to the federal government demanding the proper resources be put in place to protect BC lakes.
They are calling for action on what they call the inconsistent and inequitable funding and lack of border inspections, according to a media release issued yesterday, Nov. 9.
READ MORE: Half the boats carrying invasive mussels into BC heading to Thompson-Okanagan
"Lakes in the Okanagan, Kootenay and Thompson regions are vulnerable to the scourge of aquatic invasive species,” read the release. “These invasive species have devastated water bodies on both sides of the border, posing a significant threat to ecosystems, water infrastructure, and the tourism industry.”
The Members of Parliament are also calling for mandatory boat inspections at the international border.
The letter comes on the heels of a push by the Okanagan Basin Water Board for a moratorium on out-of-province boats. The board is asking local municipalities to send letters of support to provincial and federal governments.
"We must be proactive, not reactive if we want to protect our Okanagan Lake, our water infrastructure, and tourism industry. One infection puts them all at risk," Gray said in the release.
The MPs pointed out there is no know method of getting rid of the mussels once they have infected freshwater bodies in BC so the impact on salmon and other species could be devastating. They say it's not worth the risk and the federal government must step up with adequate funding.
Find past stories on invasive mussels here.
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