Interprovincial Collaboration to Fight the Spread of Zebra Mussels

In attendance at a collaborative meeting, from left to right: Tori Cloutier of SARM, Anne Allard-Duchêne of OBV du fleuve Saint-Jean, Sébastien Samson of CARNO, Adrian Prado of CSRNO. Back row: Ronald Cormier of Nature Loisirs lac Baker and Charles O'Neill of SARM.

BISC staff members perform environmental DNA testing for zebra mussels along the Wolastoq River.

The zebra mussel, an aquatic invasive species, was recently detected in the Madawaska River, located in northern New Brunswick. Five organizations working in New Brunswick and Quebec have joined forces to promote the Clean Drain Dry program, which encourages those spending time on lakes and rivers to Clean, Drain, and Dry their boats and equipment to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

The Organisme de bassin versant du Fleuve Saint-Jean’s mandate is to protect the watershed that bears it’s name – the Wolastoq (St. John River). This watershed extends from the Chaudière-Appalaches region in Quebec to Saint John, New Brunswick. Being based in Témiscouata, a region that has been dealing with zebra mussels since 2022, it is undeniable to its director, Anne Allard-Duchêne, that taking action upstream of the watershed is essential to protect the whole part situated in New Brunswick.

In Northwestern New Brunswick, the Société d’aménagement de la Rivière Madawaska (SARM), the Northwest Regional Service Commission (CSRNO) and the Comité d’aménagement rural du Nord-Ouest (CARNO) join the collaboration initiative to raise awareness in the local community. These organizations are also joined by the New Brunswick Invasive Species Council (NBISC), a non-profit organization that is the voice and hub to protect New Brunswick from the impacts of invasive species. The groups’s expertise in this field is an important asset to face the situation and protect the waterways. The grouping of these five organizations is intended to enhance the communication work that began last year.

Zebra mussels cannot be removed from a body of water once established. They reproduce quickly and cause damages to ecosystem health and infrastructure. Among other impacts, they can severely harm native fish habitats and impede their reproduction, which negatively impacts recreational fishing. They can also incur costs and cause damage to municipal and industrial infrastructures by clustering on them. Everyone can contribute to the effort to mitigate its spread by cleaning their boating equipment.

An awareness campaign will run throughout the upcomg boating season. The aim is to increase public awareness and knowledge, which is the first step in the fight to slow the spread of the zebra mussel.

For more information on zebra mussels, visit our new zebra mussel page!

This collaboration is made possible thanks to the financial support of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.