Help us keep Okanagan waters zebra and quagga mussel free! Help spread the message. Have “the talk” with neighbours, friends and family.

If you know someone who boats, fishes and travels in and out of our valley with their boat or other water recreation equipment,cask what they’re doing to help prevent the spread. Make sure they follow the “Clean, Drain, Dry” protocol, and are stopping at watercraft inspection stations

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Quaggas on beach - Pennsylvania Sea Grant
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Quagga mussel on boat motor - National Park Service
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Clean. Drain. Dry. is now part of modern boating and watercraft etiquette in Canada and the U.S. It has also been adopted as a best practice by B.C. and several U.S. states to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. It’s what anyone should do with their water recreation equipment whenever traveling from one lake, river or stream to another, even if it’s paddle board or just wading boots that have gotten wet.

Here’s how it works:

CLEAN off all plants, animals and mud from your watercraft and related equipment (e.g. boots, waders, fishing gear). If a power washing station is available, use it.

DRAIN (on dry land) any item that can hold water (e.g. buckets, wells, bilge and ballast).

DRY all items completely before launching the watercraft into another body of water.


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Bringing A BOAT to B.C.

Planning to bring in watercraft from out-of-province? Contact the Provincial Program at  [email protected] to determine if your boat is HIGH-RISK and should be decontaminated for possible zebra or quagga mussels before accessing B.C.’s lakes and rivers. It’s free! Do not launch the boat into any B.C. waters until you have received instruction from a B.C. Provincial Aquatic Invasive Species Inspector. 

Inspection Stations:

There are 12 watercraft inspection stations in B.C. for 2018. Inspection station locations and hours were selected and adjusted based on 2017 provincial inspection data.

If you are transporting any type of watercraft in B.C. (boat, kayak, paddleboard, etc.) it is mandatory to stop and report to all invasive mussel watercraft inspection stations along your travel route. Failing to stop at an inspection station can result in a $345 fine.

If you are hauling watercraft outside of inspection hours, call the 1-800 inspection hotline at 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP).

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