The first boats of the year carrying invasive mussels through Montana were intercepted in March. Three boats carrying invasive zebra or quagga mussels were discovered at a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks inspection station near Anaconda. The boats had been out of the water for some time, and the mussels were not viable, the agency said.
Two of the boats were headed for Washington and one boat was headed for British Columbia.
To date, there has been no reported introduction of live quagga or zebra mussels into B.C. lakes or waterways. Zebra and quagga mussels are not established in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Oregon, Idaho or Washington.
Once established in a waterbody, invasive mussels can cause damaging impacts to fisheries, aquatic life, and infrastructure.
To prevent the spread of invasive mussels, make sure to always Clean, Drain, and Dry your watercraft. Before travelling to British Columbia, make sure to stop at a mandatory watercraft inspection station where your boat can be checked for invasive mussels.
For more information on B.C. watercraft inspections, click here.
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