An Okanagan government agency and one provincial conservation group are praising proposed changes to the Wildlife Act that were tabled in BC’s legislature in late April.
On April 29, the government introduced the miscellaneous statutes amendment act, 2025.
Amendments are proposed for several provincial statutes including the Wildfire Act, the Housing Supply Act and the Wildlife Act.
The amendments proposed for the Wildlife Act include enacting “pull the plug” requirements and mandatory stops at open watercraft inspection stations to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species, such as zebra and quagga mussels, and the fatal whirling disease.
“In addition, the amendments will enable mandatory inspections for watercraft entering BC from another jurisdiction prior to launch,” the province said in a news release. “This authority will be brought into force through regulations following further analysis and engagement.”
Although 2024 marked another year of no invasive mussels in Okanagan and Similkameen waterways, the threat of an infestation is still at the top of mind for agencies like the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) and conservation groups like the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF).
The most effective way of stopping the destructive mussels is preventative measures that require boats to clean, drain and dry all watercraft and equipment after each use and pulling boat plugs that are being transported between waterbodies, the province noted.
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba already have those measures in place.
The BCWF has consistently expressed concern about the impact of invasive mussels, which can clog hydroelectric facilities, irrigation systems, and municipal water infrastructure and render beaches unusable due to their sharp shells.
Infestations can also impact fish and waterfowl populations.
“We are relieved to see the government take decisive action to increase inspections and educate boaters about the risk of transferring invasive species between water bodies,” said BCWF Executive Director Jesse Zeman.
The OBWB has been pushing for greater efforts to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic spreaders for more than a decade and also welcomed the proposed amendments.
“These proposed changes are a positive development, and we applaud the province for recognizing the shared responsibility of keeping waters free from invasive mussels.” says OBWB Chair Blair Ireland.
"As the summer boating season is almost here, we encourage the legislature to pass the amendments and ask the province to expedite the regulations that will be needed to bring these very positive changes into force.”
The OBWB said at the end of April, inspectors intercepted their first watercraft of the 2025 season, which originated from Ontario and was confirmed to be carrying invasive mussels, which is a “clear reminder of how quickly these threats can cross provincial borders.”
The BCWF has also been pressing for mandatory inspections since whirling disease, which is impacting trout and other fish populations, was detected for the first time in BC in 2023.
Whirling disease is a devastating condition brought on by a microscopic parasite that primarily targets trout and salmon.
The disease damages the backbone of the fish, causing skeletal deformities in the bodies or heads, for example, shortening the mandible or causing indentations on their heads.
Infected fish display a “distinctive and distressing” ‘whirling’ swimming pattern, often leading to premature mortality and the overall deaths of infected fry and fingerlings can reach 90%.
“At this point no watercraft should be able to enter BC without confirming that it is free of invasive plants and animals, especially the parasite that causes whirling disease and invasive quagga and zebra mussels,” said Zeman.
The proposed amendments are now under consideration by the legislature and the province’s goal is to have them in place by the 2025 boating season.
