Waterways in B.C.'s Mount Robson Park to be shut to prevent whirling disease

Lakes, rivers and streams in Mount Robson Park in central British Columbia are being closed to all watercraft and wading gear in an effort to prevent the spread of whirling disease in fish. Spawning sockeye salmon are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. (Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press)

VICTORIA — Lakes, rivers and streams in Mount Robson Park in central British Columbia are being closed to all watercraft and wading gear in an effort to prevent the spread of whirling disease in fish.

The B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks says there’s no indication the parasite that causes fatal deformities and circular swimming patterns in fish is in the park’s waterways, but the ban is cautionary to protect the Fraser River watershed.

There’s no treatment for the infectious disease that attacks the head, spine and nervous tissue, with juvenile trout, salmon and whitefish the most susceptible.

The first case of whirling disease in Canada was detected in Banff in 2016 and since then it has been confirmed in four Alberta watersheds and has spread to Yoho park and Kootenay Lake in eastern B.C.

The ban starts on May 4, and applies to all watercraft, from motorized boats to paddle boards, along with waders or boots typically used for fishing, although people can still swim and fish from shore.

The statement says that if the disease were to be introduced in the Robson park’s waterways, it could move downstream to the Fraser River Watershed and potentially impact native salmon, spreading to fisheries throughout the province.

“Park visitors play an essential role in stopping the spread of whirling disease by following the restrictions on water-based activities,” the statement says.

It says those going between waterways should always follow preventive measures by cleaning, draining and drying their watercraft and gear.

“This includes the pull-the-plug law, implemented in 2024, to have the drain plug removed when transporting a boat or other watercraft over land in B.C.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2026.