And here’s the latest news on the AIS situation…
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WASAGAMING, MB, September 9, 2024 – The containment curtain installed in Clear Lake at Riding Mountain National Park in early August will be removed. The curtain isolated an area of the lake where living zebra mussels were found in November 2023 and July 2024. The curtain was damaged and is no longer an effective means of containment and cannot be repaired or replaced this fall. The private contractor that provided and installed the curtain will be responsible for its removal.
For the remainder of the 2024 open water season, Parks Canada will continue intensive monitoring for environmental DNA (eDNA), veligers, and evidence of live zebra mussels in Clear Lake. This monitoring will continue until ice forms and will help determine whether plans for a potential eradication or control treatment are feasible. Potash is a molluscicide approved for use by Health Canada.
The temporary watercraft management measures for Clear Lake remain in place and Boat Cove remains closed to public access.
Parks Canada is a recognized leader in conservation and takes actions to protect national parks and national marine conservation areas while contributing to the prevention and mitigation of the spread of aquatic invasive species. ParksCanada will continue to work with partners, stakeholders, and other jurisdictions to ensure that decisions surrounding the next steps are made using the best possible evidence.
Parks Canada thanks the community and local First Nations for their ongoing support for the aquatic invasive species program in Riding Mountain National Park and thanks everybody for the commitment to working together to attempt to further identify and mitigate the impacts of zebra mussels in Clear Lake.
The Information Bulletin can be found online here: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/mb/riding/securite-safety/bulletins/2d0a7f45-528c-4532-83b1-29b48ea23231
