Castanet – April 1, 2017
The Okanagan Basin Water Board is welcoming improved protection of B.C. waters from invasive mussels.
“We have been working to raise awareness regarding invasive mussels since 2012,” said board chair Tracy Gray.
“A lot of the items that have been on our wish list were announced (Thursday),” Gray said of a provincial announcement introducing a mussel-sniffing dog and additional inspection stations.
The two new stations will be located at Yahk and Midway, joining ones already established at Golden, Valemount, and Dawson Creek, as well as mobile stations at Cranbrook, Invermere, Nelson, the Lower Mainland, and Penticton.
An additional 35 auxiliary conservation officers will also be hired, bringing the total to 68.
The OBWB’s push for increased protection went into high gear last fall when nearby Montana announced it had discovered invasive mussels in its waters.