The province is stepping up its defences to keep Alberta free of zebra and quagga mussels.
The province is increasing the number of watercraft inspection stations, adding more dedicated watercraft inspectors, and setting up a new task force on aquatic invasive species.
Alberta is also calling on the federal government to conduct mandatory inspections at the United States border.
“These invasive species pose a real and costly threat to other species living in our lakes and rivers, as well as to the water and irrigation infrastructure that we depend on for our economy and for drought and flood protection,” Environment and Protected Areas Minister Rebecca Schulz said. “We are stepping up to defend Alberta’s borders from these dangerous invasive species.”
With growing concerns across Alberta, Canada and the United States, the government is also developing a new aquatic invasive species task force, which will be led by Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter.
The task force will work with partners to discuss critical topics like how to improve border protections, ways to strengthen the province’s rules and programs, and whether stronger penalties, restrictions or other approaches are needed.
Zebra and quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species can be easily introduced by boats and other watercraft moving across borders.
If established inside Alberta’s borders, they could wreak havoc, threatening ecosystems and costing more than $75-million annually in damages to irrigation infrastructure, according to recent estimates.
The government is investing $2.5-million to increase watercraft inspection and decontamination, and will add an additional dog and handler team to the invasive species K-9 inspection unit.
