RICHMOND, B.C. — Experts are warning that flocks of older Canadians who tow pleasure boats south each winter to sunny U.S. destinations threaten to bring home an environmental and economic calamity.
Unassuming snowbirds are the primary potential couriers of the two aquatic invasive species most feared by Western provinces: zebra and quagga mussels.
A conference in Richmond, B.C., has convened experts from across Canada and the globe to discuss tackling the spread of the invasive freshwater mollusk before it wreaks more harm.
Barry Gibbs, chair of the Invasive Species Council of B.C., is advocating for the passage of federal regulations that would give Canada's border agents the power to inspect and quarantine boats returning from contaminated waters.
He says B.C. currently relies on a loose collaboration with Idaho state authorities to identify and intercept vessels that may be unwittingly transporting the invasive creatures.
Zebra and quagga mussels not only pose risks to fishing and biodiversity but are also known to clog pipes and cause major problems for hydroelectricity and irrigation infrastructure.
