Province seeks tech solutions to fight aquatic invaders
By Ian MacKay
The province wants "innovators" to create technological methods to keep invasive aquatic creatures out of Saskatchewan's waters.
Authorities promised more details after mentioning a competition in a statement about the awareness week against invasive aquatic species, which occurred last week. People will be invited "to develop novel, technology-based solutions" to help protect rivers and lakes, an Environment Department statement said.
"Together, we can keep our waterways healthy, accessible and free from invasive species," Darlene Rowden (SP-Batoche), the environment minister, said in the statement, reminding people who use lakes and rivers for enjoyment to "always clean, drain and dry your watercraft and all water-related equipment."
Department staff inspected more than 4,000 boats, canoes and other devices last year, finding over 750 that hadn't been cleaned, drained and dried, then had "to complete decontaminations on each one," the statement said.
"Aquatic invasive species are plants, fish and diseases that are not native to an area and can cause significant harm to the environment, economy and recreational opportunities," the statement explained. People unintentionally introduce them through boating, fishing and other activities, and they're extremely difficult to eliminate, it explained.
Species such as zebra and quagga mussels reproduce in large enough numbers to cause economic losses by plugging raw water intakes and interfering with dams and spillways used to generate power and irrigate farmland.
People should clean all plants, animals and mud from their watercraft and related equipment, drain all water from bilges, live wells and motors, and dry everything thoroughly before it goes into another waterbody, the statement advised.
Anyone with a boat, canoe or paddle board must stop at any inspection station they encounter while travelling, it added.
"Provided your watercraft is cleaned, drained and dried, inspections are quick — typically taking only a few minutes," the statement said.