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Pop-up K9 Watercraft Inspection Station held Pigeon Lake last weekend

The goal of the event was to raise awareness about the threat of aquatic invasive species in Alberta
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Photo submitted/ Kirsten Chamberlin, Pigeon Lake Watershed Association

Alberta Environment and Parks hosted a pop-up K9 Watercraft Inspection Station at Mulhurst Bay, Alta., on Aug. 7, 2021.

The goal of the event was to raise awareness about the threat of aquatic invasive species in Alberta, highlight the need for inspection stations, and to remind boaters that it is their individual responsibility to clean, drain and dry their watercrafts.

“All Albertans, especially local taxpayers, need to be concerned about the threat of aquatic invasive species coming to Alberta waterways aboard watercraft from surrounding provinces and states. Zebra mussels and Eurasian milfoil can damage and clog our waterways, district irrigation systems, municipal stormwater infrastructure and water intakes,” says Councillor for the Summer Village of Silver Beach and Director of the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association, Robert Gibbs.

“Establishment of these species in recreational lakes such as Pigeon Lake would be a major blow to recreational communities, property values and our regional economy.

“Strong border protection in the form of increased mandatory boat inspection and decontamination stations are a fraction of the potential hundreds of millions to manage the damage from these species- once they take hold in our waterways. The costs in some other jurisdictions have been downloaded to local taxpayers. Our Province needs to increase the number of border inspection stations to guard against these threats which are increasing year by year.”



shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca

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Photo submitted/ Kirsten Chamberlin, Pigeon Lake Watershed Association
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Photo submitted/ Kirsten Chamberlin, Pigeon Lake Watershed Association