Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – The provincial government says it has concluded another successful boating season by keeping invasive zebra and quagga mussels out of Alberta’s waterways.

Invasive mussel species have the potential to cause considerable damage to the province’s environment and economy, which includes irrigated crops if left unchecked.

The problem with these invasive mussels is three-fold: for one, their ability to reproduce is astounding, says Paige Kuczmarski with the Alberta Invasive Species Council. “Zebra muscles are crazy,” she explains. “They’re super small, and their larvae are microscopic. One female muscle can produce up to a million eggs. So, if they were to move in here, it would instantly change the ecosystem.”

Two, invasive mussels are filter feeders. They filter out suspended matter and food particles which harm the native fish population. According to the Alberta government website, excessive feeding by large invasive mussel populations disrupt natural food chains. This results in a depleted fishery (fewer and smaller fish) as the fish don’t have enough food.

And three, their ability to latch onto hard surfaces in dense clusters can result in damaged or clogged underwater infrastructure and irrigation systems which could devastate crops. “Imagine docks, rocks, your boats, and irrigation systems, which is the biggest concern,” notes Kuczmarski. “We don’t want them to be present because that would impact many different things, including recreation agriculture. Anything that water is used over would be impacted by the presence of these muscles.”

Quagga and zebra mussels spread between lakes by clinging to boats and recreational gear. Adult mussels can live out of water for up to 30 days under optimal conditions, while their microscopic larvae, called veligers, can survive for extended periods in standing water. That’s why you must clean all of your gear and watercraft.