Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba. (File photo)
Zebra mussels first appeared in Canada in the late 1980s and have since become well established in Ontario and in Quebec, in particular. It proliferates following the fresh water bodies of the continent.
In Manitoba, the westernmost Canadian province where it is found, the first adult specimens of zebra mussels were discovered in 2013 in Lake Winnipeg. Ten years later, this invasive aquatic species has settled permanently in several lakes and rivers in the province.
According to Manitoba government aquatic invasive species specialist Candace Parks, zebra mussels feed on algae that other aquatic species, such as small fish and invertebrates, rely on.
On its site (New window), Parks Canada explains that the species aggressively invades new areas and reproduces quickly.
It favors hard underwater surfaces, including the hulls of the boats it colonizes, reducing food resources and threatening native wildlife.
Parks Canada indicates that zebra mussels can affect power plants, water treatment plants and cottages in addition to causing costly nuisances for boaters, commercial fishermen, anglers and fishermen. bathers.
With information from Chelsea Kemp