Summer zebra mussel inspections find hundreds of improperly cleaned watercraft – Winnipeg

Conservation officers and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada continue their efforts to prevent the spread of zebra mussels.

In a release Friday, the federal department said it completed a blitz of roadside boat checks this summer, stopping hundreds of vehicles between the Manitoba and Ontario border.

In June, officials found a total of 104 vehicles transporting watercraft or equipment that wasn’t clean, drained or dry, and failed an inspection. Five of those vehicles were carrying a boat or watercraft with visible zebra mussels.

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A second campaign between Aug. 23 and 25 led to inspections of 451 vehicles carrying watercraft, and while none of those contained visible mussels, a total of 153 had improperly cleaned or drained equipment.

It’s illegal to possess, transport or release zebra mussels in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta or British Columbia, and people who use watercraft in the region are urged to do their part and make sure their equipment is properly cleaned and dried.