URGENT: OBWB Calls for Moratorium on Out-of-Province Boats to Prevent Invasive Mussels' Infestation

In October 2023, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) issued a call for a temporary moratorium on all out-of-province watercraft looking to enter British Columbia until senior governments have closed the gaps in existing inspection programs, helping prevent the spread of invasive mussels.
The call is in response to the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in the Snake River in Twin Falls, Idaho in September 2023. The Snake River is a tributary to the Columbia River which is connected to the Okanagan. It is also only an 11-hour drive from Twin Falls to the Okanagan. Such a moratorium is intended to allow for a comprehensive assessment of the infestation, the effectiveness of Idaho’s response, and provide the Government of B.C. with an opportunity to address crucial gaps in its invasive mussel defence program.
We are recommending that the moratorium last until at least the Spring of 2024.
This video provides greater context for our call, explaining the impact invasive mussels would have on Okanagan waterways and the importance of collaboration with all levels of government, First Nations, the water recreation community, residents and tourists. Working together, we can protect the local ecosystem, economy, recreational opportunities and our way of life.
Learn more. Join us in keeping invasive mussels out of Okanagan and B.C. water and support our call for a moratorium. For more information on zebra and quagga mussels and the risks to Okanagan waters, visit DontMoveAMussel.ca/. Help spread the message, not the mussels.
To find our latest calls to action, please go to dontmoveamussel.ca/in-the-news/.
#DontMoveAMussel #OkWaterWise #Okanaganwaters #okanagan #ProtectOurWaters #StopInvasiveSpecies #TakeActionAgainstMussels #WaterWise #invasivemussels #quaggamussels #zebramussels

[@user-iz5xo7nx7w]

Lake Okanagan is part of the Columbia Basin. With invasive mussels detected in Idaho it means the outer perimeter is breached. A moratorium on boats coming into the freshwater systems of British Columbia is a sensible and rational response.

[@maryanneaxelson8134]

I wish the weed Wacker wouldn't start until after 9 am. I have kidneystones and the vibration every morning is killing me. I live on Wood's Lake.