The Athabasca Region has many beautiful lakes and boat owners can play a part in protecting them by taking a few extra steps to clean their boats. Invasive aquatic species and plants are a growing concern when boats are used in more than one body of water.
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Zebra Mussels
Zebra mussels can be spread from one body of water to another on your boat or gear, if they are not cleaned, drained, and dried properly between uses. They are two of many aquatic invasive species in Alberta.
In fact, adult mussels can attach themselves onto hard surfaces and can be hard to spot on a watercraft and microscopic forms of the mussels can survive in standing water for many days. If this standing water is moved into a new body of water, it may become infested as well.
Whirling Disease
Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) has initiated the Whirling Disease Program to help protect the province’s Salmonid Species.
Whirling Disease infects several Salmonid species and have been detected in 4 major Alberta watersheds, according to the Athabasca Watershed Council. It is one of the greatest threats destroying aquatic species in Southern Alberta and has been detected in the Bow River, North Saskatchewan River, Oldman River, and Red Deer River.
Although it hasn’t been detected in the Athabasca Watershed, awareness of its presence will help prevent it from spreading to northern Alberta.
