As summer boating ramps up across British Columbia, the provincial government has amendments to the Wildlife Act that could significantly boost protection for B.C. lakes and freshwater ecosystems.
The proposed changes would make watercraft inspections mandatory for any vessel entering B.C. from another jurisdiction. Boaters would also be legally required to stop at provincial inspection stations and follow procedures 鈥� an increasingly familiar protocol designed to stop the spread of invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels.
The changes are part of a miscellaneous statutes amendment act tabled in the legislature, with vocal support recently from the B.C. Wildlife Federation (BCWF).
鈥淎nyone who loves fish, pays taxes or drinks water should be concerned about the impact of invasive mussels. We are relieved to see the government take decisive action to increase inspections and educate boaters about the risk of transferring invasive species between water bodies," said Jesse Zeman, BCWF executive director, adding dedicated funding is needed to ensure province-wide compliance.
The federation has long sounded the alarm about the threat of invasive mussels. The mussels are native to Europe and were first introduced into North America unintentionally in the late 1980s into the Great Lakes. These tiny but destructive invaders can clog hydroelectric and irrigation infrastructure, foul drinking water systems, and turn beaches into unusable hazard zones with their razor-sharp shells. Beyond infrastructure damage, infestations can devastate native fish like Kokanee salmon and rainbow trout and contaminate food chains with toxins (such as botulism), harming the waterfowl and other species who eat the mussels.
Whirling disease, another aquatic invader of concern, is caused by a parasite that targets trout and salmonids. The disease leads to erratic, circular swimming, visible dark patches, and skeletal deformities. It was confirmed in Kootenay Lake in 2024, prompting renewed calls for stronger safeguards.
鈥淎t this point no watercraft should be able to enter B.C. without confirming that it is free of invasive plants and animals, especially the parasite that causes whirling disease and invasive (mussels),鈥� said Zeman.
鈥淏oaters must ensure that they Clean, Drain and Dry their watercraft and trailers, and make sure equipment such as fishing gear, buckets, and coolers are free of invasive creatures."
It applies not only motorized boats but also to canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, sailboats, and any other water crafts. Boat owners must power wash all plants, animals, and mud from their boat and equipment, drain all water (including from bait buckets, live-wells, pumps, motors) on to land, and then dry everything before launching into another body of water.
The legislation aims to strengthen enforcement through mandatory stops at inspection stations and expand the province's legal authority to require inspections before a boat even hits the water. Pull-the-plug rules would also be enshrined in law, building on a 2024 regulation that made it illegal to transport watercraft with drain plugs still in place 鈥� an infraction carrying a $403 fine.
The BC Conservation Officer Service and Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship have already been rolling out education and enforcement efforts.
鈥淥nce the mussels are introduced into a water system, they can have significant environmental and economic impacts,鈥� said Martina Beck, unit head of Freshwater Applied Science and Programs.
鈥淭hey can reproduce very quickly, out compete our native species for both food and habitat, and overtake the environment. They also have the ability to attach on to solid surfaces, and they can survive out of water for potentially up to 30 days."
These mussels stick to everything from PVC pipes and wood to aluminum, concrete, and steel, spreading via boats transported between lakes. They have not yet been found in B.C. waters, with the closest Canadian infestation currently present in Manitoba. B.C. has run its Invasive Mussel Defence Program since 2015, focusing on inspection stations along the B.C. borders of Alberta and the U.S.
That program, run by conservation officers, includes high-pressure decontamination units, mussel-sniffing dogs, and information campaigns to help boaters follow Clean, Drain, Dry practices. Failing to stop at an inspection station can cost a boater $690.
Legislative changes currently before the House of Commons aim to further strengthen the powers of conservation officers to block the entry of invasive species.
The province has also committed to early 2025 consultations with Indigenous rights and title holders, local governments, stakeholders, and the public. If passed, amendments to the Wildlife Act could be in place by spring 2026.
For more on the Clean, Drain, Dry steps, visit .
- With files from Jenna Hauck
