Kelowna Chamber wants moratorium on out-of-province boats entering B.C.

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is supporting a Thompson-Okanagan call for an immediate moratorium on out-of-province boats entering B.C.

A letter was sent Tuesday to federal ministers asking for mussel detection spending levels to rise significantly, allowing round-the-clock monitoring of pleasure craft being brought into B.C. from Alberta and the U.S.

Invasive mussels have been recently detected in Idaho, raising the alarm over the threat posed to B.C. waters and tourism. The proposed moratorium would last until results of water treatment in Idaho are assessed.

The letter was addressed to federal transport minister Pablo Rodriguez and Nathan Cullen, B.C.'s Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

The BC Wildlife Federation started raising alarm last month about mussel prevention funding drying up.

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce CEO Dan Rogers says urgent action is needed.

"We got together with the other chambers and saw the magnitude of the alarm bells that was going off from the Okanagan Basin Water Board and we are fully supportive for their call on a temporary moratorium until we know what the full impact is of the United States, it's now so close," he said.

"They have taken action in the U.S. but until that time we think a moratorium is more than reasonable to consider."

Between May and December 2023, the Invasive Mussels Defensive Program intercepted 155 watercraft entering B.C. that were identified as high-risk for the mussels; 14 were confirmed to be carrying the mussels.

At least a third of these were heading to the Okanagan-Thompson-Nicola.

"It requires a lot of diligence to keep them out," said Anna Warwick-Sears, executive director Okanagan Basin Water Board.

"Until the province gets 24 hour inspection stations, strengthens the legislation, does all the things that they need to do to fill the gaps, updates their plans...we need to have a comprehensive approach and at this time its has not been given enough priority from the provincial government," Warwick-Sears continued.

It is estimated that an infestation in B.C. would cost between $64 million and $129 million to manage annually. The mussels can destroy beaches from a recreation perspective and clog water intakes.

For more information on invasive mussels visit dontmoveamussel.ca.