The B.C. Invasive Mussel Defence Program’s goal is to prevent the introduction of zebra and quagga mussels (ZQM) into B.C. The program’s prevention efforts are focused on inspecting boats, monitoring lakes, educating the public and coordinating actions with neighbouring jurisdictions.
The Invasive Mussel Defence Program (IMDP) was created in 2015 and has three main components:
Provincial legislation gives the Province authority to take action on ZQM. The Controlled Alien Species (CAS) Regulation under the Wildlife Act is the principle legislation that defines, lists, and affords provisions to regulate invasive mussels in B.C.
Under the CAS Regulation, prohibitions apply to any mussel listed in Schedule 4 (Zebra, Quagga, and Conrad’s False Mussel). Specifically, it is illegal for a person to:
Inspectors are trained in the watercraft inspection program and have been designated as auxiliary conservation officers under the Environmental Management Act. This designation provides powers to stop, inspect, search, question, and give decontamination orders. See the Zebra and Quagga Mussel Early Detection and Rapid Response (ZQM EDRR) Plan (PDF) for more information on the CAS Regulation and ZQM.
The provincial Invasive Mussel Defence Program began in 2015 and has adapted and expanded each year through additional funding through partnerships with BC Hydro, Columbia Power Corporation, Fortis BC, Columbia Basin Trust, and the BC Government. The tables below show a summary of the 2015-2022 watercraft inspection seasons and what they found.
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Inspection Stations |
Roving |
8 |
10 |
12 |
12 |
9 (2 roving) |
7 (2 roving) |
6 (2 roving) |
Number of Inspectors |
12 |
32 |
65 |
64 |
64 |
37 |
45 |
32 |
Hours of Operation |
5 days/week, 7 hrs/day |
7 days/week, 10 hrs/day |
9 stations dawn-dusk, 7 days/week; |
5 stations dawn-dusk; |
4 stations dawn-dusk; |
9 stations dawn to dusk, 10hrs/day |
Dawn to dusk; 10 hrs/day; 1 station 24 hrs |
10hrs/day; dawn to dusk |
Inspection Season |
June to October |
April to Sept/Oct |
April/June to mid-November |
March/May to late October |
March/May to late October |
May 15 to October 25 |
April/May to Oct |
April/May to Oct |
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Watercraft Inspected |
4,350 |
~24,500 |
35,500 |
40,700 |
52,000 |
29,900 |
33,300 |
20,100 |
Number of People Interacted With |
~10,000 |
~50,000 |
72,300 |
78,600 |
95,000 |
55,900 |
61,600 |
36,400 |
High Risk Inspections |
70 |
685 |
2,071 |
1,652 |
1,290 |
158 |
244 |
122 |
Mussel Fouled Boats |
15 |
17 |
25 |
25 |
22 |
16 |
17 |
13 |
2023 Invasive Mussel Defence Program Interim Final Report (PDF)
2023 Invasive Mussel Defence Program Summer Status Report (PDF)
In 2017, the program started the Aquatic Invasive Species K9 unit. The first of B.C.’s multipurpose detection dogs was Kilo. The primary handler of Kilo is Sergeant Josh Lockwood within the Conservation Officer Service (COS). Kilo is trained to detect invasive mussels, firearms and bear parts, and helps in evidence recovery cases within the Conservation Officer Service. In his first year, Kilo conducted more than 900 inspections and found invasive mussels on two watercraft.
In the fall of 2018, a second multipurpose detection dog, called Major, joined the K9 unit. Major is a German shepherd whose primary handler is Sergeant Cynthia Mann. These dogs are valuable tools for detecting invasive mussels on watercraft travelling through and into B.C.