The Invasive Species Council of B.C. is reminding water users to clean, drain and dry their equipment after conservation officers conducted the largest ever decontamination of invasive mussels on an out-of-province barge.
READ MORE: B.C. bound barge with 鈥榣argest ever鈥� zebra mussel contamination intercepted by conservation
Gail Wallin, executive director of the council, said the decontamination was a 鈥渉uge victory鈥� for provincial systems that keep invasives out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a success story. That network of Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC, plus some of the western States, all working together to say, 鈥榟eads up 鈥� there鈥檚 a barge heading your way that could be infested鈥�. That鈥檚 success, they鈥檝e kept it out of B.C.鈥�
But despite the success, Wallin warns that other invasives like Eurasian watermilfoil, yellow flag iris and European green crabs are established in B.C.
READ MORE: Extreme weather could help invasive green crab crawl along B.C. coast
Plants like the Eurasian watermilfoil can form dense mats creating shade for sun dependant native plants, degrading water quality, preventing water flow, and easily getting caught on boats and equipment. Zebra mussels can easily attach to boats and gear.
Once present in new ecosystems, yellow flag iris can create a thick mat that damages habitat, reduces water flow and crowds out native vegetation. European green crabs are known to out-compete native crab species and damage eelgrass beds. The crabs are listed among some of the worst invasive species in the world.
Water users are encouraged to clean all plants, animals and mud off their gear, drain all water onto land, and dry off all parts of boats and gear completely before using them again.
鈥淢ost people aren鈥檛 paying enough attention to what they鈥檙e moving around accidentally when they鈥檙e boating, fishing, paddling, swimming.鈥�
