Sharina Kennedy, Regional Education and Outreach Specialist for Alberta ESRD, discusses aquatic invasive species (animal, plant, or pathogen), their danger and cost, and Alberta ESRD’s awareness campaign.
Since there are no effective natural or native predators, invasive species can overpopulate an area, choking out other species, causing disharmony to an ecosystem. They pose a significant risk to the economy, environment and, at times, human health. For example, invasive mussels can live up to 30 days out of water, and consume phytoplankton, zooplankton and algae that other species need.
The Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention program in Alberta includes inspectors, policy and legislation, education and outreach, monitoring, and response. There were 400 inspections at 55 water bodies last summer, a hotline was established, and they are aiming to scale their work up to a provincial level. Included in the program is a decontamination protocol for mussel-fouled boats. Education and outreach is focusing on behavioural change, such as thoroughly cleaning and drying one’s boat before launching it into a new lake, as well as providing educational products and materials.
This presentation was a part of the Central Alberta Recreational Lakes (CARL) forum, in May, 2014.
