Is this a stiff enough penalty?

[Clint r]

I'm thinking not. Should've seized this guys boat. Only have to do it a couple times and others would only be too happy to comply. Without strict and I mean strict policies in place it's only a matter of time til we're farked.

Copied from castanets news service:

Canadian conservation officers jumped into action and stopped a boat housing invasive mussels from reaching B.C. waters.

According to the conservation service, the boat coming from Ontario to B.C. failed to stop at an inspection station on April 28, near Elko on Highway 3.

"The incident was reported to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service who intercepted the vehicle and escorted it to the station for proper inspection," writes the COS.

"Invasive mussels were found during inspection and a complete decontamination of the watercraft was performed."

The COS says the operator of the vehicle was issued a violation ticket for failing to stop at an inspection station.

"This case is an excellent example of the importance of stopping at watercraft inspection stations to protect B.C.'s waters from invasive zebra and quagga mussels," adds the COS.

Inspection teams have checked approximately 1,200 boats so far this year.

Of those, 64 were flagged as coming from high-risk locations, resulting in 12 decontamination orders and seven 30-day quarantines.

 

[Big_Shank]

What a joke! That person should be charged with something like transporting harmful invasive species, and attempted introduction of an invasive species. They knew damn well what they were doing when they passed that inspection checkpoint. They were just trying to save time on their trip, were likely in a real hurry and knew their boat would likely have to go through de-con. If you own a powerboat and travel between provinces, you are aware of the inspection points.

It's like blowing by an open weigh scale in an overloaded commercial vehicle because you know it's overweight or hauling contraband and it's going to take time out of your busy day to drop load and make two trips or have the loads properly inspected. If they had nothing to worry about and knew they had nothing to worry about, they'd have stopped...

CO's should take the boat, and the tow vehicle to public auction...

 

[bullyjack]

Not sure what the fine is, probably not enough. What big shank said, our waters are fragile enough.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

What a joke! That person should be charged with something like transporting harmful invasive species, and attempted introduction of an invasive species. They knew damn well what they were doing when they passed that inspection checkpoint. They were just trying to save time on their trip, were likely in a real hurry and knew their boat would likely have to go through de-con. If you own a powerboat and travel between provinces, you are aware of the inspection points.

It's like blowing by an open weigh scale in an overloaded commercial vehicle because you know it's overweight or hauling contraband and it's going to take time out of your busy day to drop load and make two trips or have the loads properly inspected. If they had nothing to worry about and knew they had nothing to worry about, they'd have stopped...

CO's should take the boat, and the tow vehicle to public auction...

Maybe they didn't know. I took a 12' car top boat from NB to MB,, to BC, then to Alaska and home to BC from
1970 - 1986. Never knew I had to get it inspected. Towed it some years and some years moving company
carried it. .......BB

 

[terrin]

Maybe they didn't know. I took a 12' car top boat from NB to MB,, to BC, then to Alaska and home to BC from
1970 - 1986. Never knew I had to get it inspected. Towed it some years and some years moving company
carried it. .......BB

Must admit I didn't know about boat inspection stops either but ignorance doesn't get you off the hook. At least now we know where the invasive Barnicle came from BB. Lol.

 

[Clint r]

I think the inspection/decontam stations are a fairly recent thing. The mussels and the costs associated with dealing with them have only come to the Govs attention in the last few years.

 

[Breaking_Shimanos]

How long do mussels survive? I think there are also invasive vegetation which live longer than barnacles.

 

[agentaqua]

How long do mussels survive? I think there are also invasive vegetation which live longer than barnacles.

depends on the temperature and humidity. The colder and wetter - the longer they live. If they are attached to the back of a plate or in the corner of a cooling pipe out of the sun and a place that stays wet - could last a few days for sure...

 

[Big_Shank]

The guy was just being an arse and drove right by them as they were waving him over to be inspected...



"Despite the waving [by inspectors], he went by. So the owner drove past our station intentionally," said Matthias Herborg, aquatic invasive species specialist with the Ministry of Environment.

Source:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/...ssels-check-point-vehicle-blew-past-1.3573755

I find it pretty cool that they use dogs to sniff them out.

 

[halimark]

Agree with you Bigshank, those guys should now NOT own that boat. To risk BC waters like they did. No excuse, they are from Ont, there is not a boat owner in the province that is not aware of the mussel problem. Signs at every ramp, campground, newspaper and when getting your outdoor card. The impact the mussels have made is unbelievable, waters that were 20 ft deep growing up are now so clear you can see the goldfish swimming on the bottom. No not carp, fish bowl goldfish.

CO's should have posted trophy pics of the confiscated boat so all know there are ramifications for all's decisions. Just imagine BC fresh water with those mussels. Not something I want.

HM

 

[capt hook]

we need a Trump to build a wall along the rocky m0untains and keep those easterner invasive species outta here.

 

[terrin]

Agree with you Bigshank, those guys should now NOT own that boat. To risk BC waters like they did. No excuse, they are from Ont, there is not a boat owner in the province that is not aware of the mussel problem. Signs at every ramp, campground, newspaper and when getting your outdoor card. The impact the mussels have made is unbelievable, waters that were 20 ft deep growing up are now so clear you can see the goldfish swimming on the bottom. No not carp, fish bowl goldfish.

CO's should have posted trophy pics of the confiscated boat so all know there are ramifications for all's decisions. Just imagine BC fresh water with those mussels. Not something I want.

HM

Where did these mussels originally come from? Sounds like it could be similar to an oil spill. Were the original perpetrators billed for the ongoing cleanup costs or are the Great Lake residents just left to deal with it? Food for thought.

 

[halimark]

Scientists believe the mussels came over in the cargo ships ballast tanks many years ago, when ships enter lake Ontario and other waters they empty the mussels with the ballast water, nature finds a way and they multiplied by the infinite number. This was in the days when know body knew? now ALL Ont residents know, hence my suggestion for a hefty fine. They dam well knew, don't care or said to hell with BC freshwater. How many boats are being missed now? Its a matter of time. Look at the carp problem. Or the bullfrogs in Vic, rabbits on our highway medians from bleeding hearts, water milfoil? Years ago had a run in with a couple at a local lake, they had a tank full of terrapins (45+) and were going to release in lake until I said something. They donated to me and I guarantee they never made it into a local lake. Accountability for our actions has been removed.

HM

 

[Titanium48]

A big opportunity was missed to establish an easily enforceable perimeter around western Canada. If BC, AB, SK and MB had pooled resources before Lake Winnipeg was infested, there could have been permanent inspection facilities at every US border crossing and on the only highway of significance crossing MB / ON border. BC, AB and SK could still try, but with over dozen highways and numerous grid roads crossing the SK / MB border it would be far more difficult.

 

[agentaqua]

Water advocates say feds need to do more to prevent invasive mussels from moving into B.C.
1,100 boats entering the province have been flagged as high risk for mussel infestation this summer
CBC News Posted: Aug 16, 2017 11:07 AM P
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...vasive-mussels-from-moving-into-b-c-1.4249668

 

[the fog ducker]

seize his boat and make him buy Leafs season tickets

 

[Clint r]

This isn't going to go over very well but here goes anyway:

Unfortunately it's only a matter of time until they do arrive here. There's really only a couple sure ways to stop them and that's to not allow out of province boats to enter BC. Harsh, yes. But 100% effective. Or secondly, mandatory 30 day quarantine of any boat entering the province. Might put a damper on some tourists holidays I agree. But we really need to ask ourselves if a few tourist bucks are enough to cover the costs of what's going to happen when they do arrive.

On a positive note, think of the money that would be generated by all the boat rentals if they government would step up.

 

[agentaqua]

Five boats heading to the Okanagan caught with invasive mussels
By Jenna Hickman
August 15, 2017
http://infotel.ca/newsitem/five-boats-heading-to-the-okanagan-caught-with-invasive-mussels/it45227