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September 17, 2009 MANITOBA STEPS UP MONITORING, PUBLIC EDUCATION TO HELP REDUCE SPREAD OF ZEBRA MUSSELS: MELNICK– – –Invasive Species Found In Red River Watershed in Minnesota The Government of Manitoba will accelerate work with its Canadian and American partners in the Red River basin to help reduce the spread of zebra mussels, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick announced today.
“Zebra mussels, an aquatic invasive species, were found in Pelican Lake, Minn., by a local resident this week,” Melnick said. “We will work with our partners to enhance signage at boat launches and initiate monitoring for zebra mussels along the Red River.”
Pelican Lake is about 50 kilometres southeast of the Fargo-Moorhead area. Waters from this lake eventually flow into the Red River at Breckenridge, Minn., then flow northward into Manitoba, crossing the international border at Emerson.
This is the first known occurrence of live zebra mussels in the Red River basin. Once zebra mussels are established in a lake or river, there are no control methods to eliminate them.
“While Manitoba has been proactive in recognizing and planning for the potential threat of zebra mussels, this new discovery makes it imperative that the public is well informed.” Melnick said. “Public education is key to reducing the spread of zebra mussels in Manitoba. Boaters must take appropriate measures to clean their boats before moving them between water bodies.”
Zebra mussels are small clam-like animals whose shells are typically marked by alternating light and dark bands. They grow to a maximum length of approximately three centimetres, can live for up to five years and the females can produce up to one million eggs per year.
“Zebra mussels have caused millions of dollars in damage to the Laurentian Great Lakes area and are a significant environmental and economic concern to Manitoba,” Melnick said.
Manitoba Water Stewardship is asking boaters and anglers, especially those coming from Minnesota, to take extra care with their fishing equipment and watercraft to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels into Manitoba (see attached backgrounder).
Each summer since 2000, the province has had boat and trailer inspection teams located at the border crossings of Sprague and Emerson, and points within Whiteshell Provincial Park. Visitors are informed and surveyed about their knowledge of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species. This summer, more than 1,300 boats and trailers were inspected and no evidence of zebra mussels has been found to date.
Since their first introduction to the Laurentian Great Lakes in the mid-1980s, zebra mussels have quickly spread across Ontario, Quebec and into most of the eastern United States and can now be found as far west as Arizona and California.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED |
