Around a quarter of vehicles inspected during a second summer blitz to prevent the transfer of aquatic invasive species (AIS) failed the inspection. Fisheries and Oceans Canada conducted the inspection near the Manitoba-Ontario border on Highway 1 from June 19 to 21. According to a news release from the federal department, officers stopped 455 vehicles carrying 502 watercraft or water items. The majority followed the inspection requirements, with 382 considered cleaned, drained and dried. The other 120 vehicles did not pass inspection, the release notes, with 13 needing decontamination and the drivers were given instructions on how to follow prevention measures. One watercraft had zebra mussels visible. The maximum fine for not following inspection guidelines for AIS is $100,000. “Healthy lakes and rivers are essential to the communities that rely on them. Through joint inspection efforts with the Government of Manitoba, we are working to protect those waters from aquatic invasive species and preserve Canada’s freshwater ecosystems for generations to come,” said Joanne Thompson, the federal minister of Fisheries, in a news release. “Aquatic invasive species can easily cross provincial borders and Manitoba is proud to continue to work with the federal government to conduct joint inspections of watercraft to help protect our lakes and rivers. By working together, we’re preserving this precious natural resource for generations to come,” said Mike Moyes, Manitoba’s environment and climate change minister, in a news release. Finding zebra mussels has been a growing problem in Manitoba over the last few years. Most recently, zebra mussel larvae were found in Lake of the Prairies, a waterbody that runs between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Zebra mussels have also been found in Gimli Harbour and Lake Winnipeg. Parks Canada previously had a motorized boat ban in effect for Clear Lake after the mussels were found in 2023. That ban has since been lifted, but a one-boat, one-lake rule has been put in place to help limit the spread of zebra mussels to other bodies of water.
