BC Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS) 206 - 1889 Springfield Rd. Kelowna, BC V1Y 5V5 Phone: 250.717.1212 Fax: 250.717.1226 Toll Free: 1.877 BC LAKES E-mail: [email protected] Visit us on the web: www.bclss.org Volume 15, Issue 4 January 2013 Protecting BC Waters from Aquatic Invasive Species Source: Ministry of Environment News Release Dec. 20, 2012 he B.C. government has amended the Controlled Alien Species Regulation to protect our environment, with tough Tfines for those who introduce invasive species into local ecosystems. The B.C. government has strengthened the regulation, acting on a previous commitment to ban the snakehead fish. All public comments received on the government’s policy paper supported strong action on this issue. The main measures of the amended regulation include: Prohibiting the possession, breeding, release or transportation of high-risk aquatic species such as the snake- head. Releasing a live snakehead into local waters could result in a fine of up to $250,000. Requiring that no invasive zebra or quagga mussel, alive or dead, be present on boats or related equipment. Failure to clean mussels off boats or equipment could result in a fine of up to $100,000. Until now, the Controlled Alien Species Regulation has been used to control the possession, breeding, shipping and releasing of animals that are not native to B.C., such as tigers, that pose a serious risk to the health or safety of peo- ple. For example, it is a direct violation of the regulation to possess a prohibited species without a permit. Given the threats to B.C.’s fish, wildlife and In this issue... JANUARY’S FEATURES PAGE Protecting BC Waters From Aquatic Invasives 1 - 2 Species at Risk Act Consultation 3 BCWWA Courses 2013 4 - 5 Nominations for Excellence in Water Stewardship Award 6 Be Ice Smart 7 Natural Phenomena 8 - 9 BC Interior Stewardship Workshop 11 BCLSS BUSINESS UPDATE BCLSS Membership / Sponsorship Form 10 Snakehead fish caught in Burnaby Pond. Photo Announcements 12 credit: SFU Public Affairs and Media Relations Photo: Fish Lake from Sparkle Lake Trail continued on p. 2... 1 Volume 15, Issue 4 BC Lake Stewardship Society January 2013 continued from p. 1... habitat, the new rules target specific aquatic invasive species to prevent these live species from coming into contact with our waters. Many neighbouring Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions have similar restrictions on aquatic invasive spe- cies as those announced today. Other new measures include: Adding definitions for “accredited zoo or aquarium,” “certified educational institution” and “certified research institution” to create clarity on standards, and allow exemptions to apply for strict educational or scientific pur- poses. Clarifying which species of monitor lizard are prohibited, typically those that grow over two metres in length or that otherwise create a significant threat to public safety. Northern Snakehead: The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is a highly invasive, predatory fish originally native to northern China and Korea that is capable of devastating local ecosystems. The fish is torpedo-shaped, light brown in colour with dark brown patches, and a large mouth filled with sharp teeth. It can grow up to 1.2 m in length and weigh up to 6.8 kg. The snakehead can survive out of water in moist environments for up to 7 days and is capable of travelling short distanc- es overland. While not yet established in B.C., the fish is an ongoing ecological concern in a number of northeast U.S. states, as well as in Arkansas. In May 2012, a snakehead fish was spotted in Central Park lagoon in Burnaby. As a result, staff from both the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations launched an extensive search, and following a partial drainage of the lagoon, the snakehead was successfully captured and removed. Zebra and Quagga mussels: Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena rostri- formis bugensis) were introduced to North America in the 1980s as a result of ballast water being discharged by vessels travelling from Europe. Both varie- ties of mussel pose a severe threat to B.C.’s aquatic ecosystems, salmon pop- ulations, hydro power generation stations and drinking water facilities. Live mussels that become attached to recreational vehicles, boats, boating equip- ment and fishing gear can be easily transferred from one body of water to an- SFU biology grad student other. Zebra mussels grow up to 15 mm in size and have a “D-shaped” shell. Michael Beakers is one Their colour may vary from light brown to dark brown and the shell has obvious of the researchers analyzing striping. Quagga mussels are rounder in shape and can grow up to 20 mm in the snakehead fish caught size. The shell usually features dark, concentric rings, and is paler near its in Burnaby’s Central Park hinge. In addition to the Great Lakes, zebra and quagga mussels have been pond. Photo credit: SFU Public found in Quebec and at least 24 American states as far west as California and Affairs and Media Relations Colorado. Annual costs incurred in Ontario due to mussel contamination is estimated at $75 million to $91 million, with cumulative costs on the Great Lakes estimated at well over $3 billion. Quagga mussel shells were found on a power boat that was brought to Shuswap Lake from Lake Pleasant, Arizona, in June 2012. The boat was subsequently removed by provincial and federal government staff (with the co-operation of the boat owner and the operator of the marina). Following an extensive decontamination effort and investigation, it was concluded that at this time there is no evidence that the mussel has become established in the system. To learn more about Controlled Alien Species Regulation, visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlifeactreview/cas/ To learn more about the accreditation standards that have been developed by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), visit: http://www.caza.ca/en/about_caza/accreditation_program/ To learn more about the certification pro- cess developed by the Canadian Council on Animal Care, visit: http://www.ccac.ca/. 2 Volume 15, Issue 4 BC Lake Stewardship Society January 2013 Consultation on Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act A Source: Barry Smith, Regional Director of the Canadian7 Wildlife Service y 9 w nvironment Canada is seeking comments on the potential impacts of amending the List ofH Wildlife Species at Risk.E On October 5, 2012, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) submitted 55 assessments of species at risk and two of species no longer at risk to the federal Minister of the Environment. On Jan- uary 3, 2013, the Government of Canada posted the Ministerial Response Statements for these species on the Spe- cies at Risk Act (SARA) Public Registry, launching public consultations on the amendment of Schedule 1, the List of Wildlife Species at Risk under SARA. A complete set of statements is available at: www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/ default.asp?lang=En&n=387BD042-1. Twenty-eight of these species at risk (19 terrestrial and 9 aquatic) have had their current Schedule 1 status confirmed. These are not included in this consultation process, as no regulatory amendment is required. In the Pacific and Yukon Region, Environment Canada is seeking comment on the proposed amendment of Schedule 1 resulting from assessments of the 9 terrestrial species and populations whose ranges occur in the Region. For more information, please download the document “Consultation on Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act Terrestrial Species December 2012” from the SARA Public Registry website at: http://www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/document/default_e.cfm?documentID=2318 All comments will be considered and will inform the Minister’s recommendation to Cabinet. Please provide remarks by March 4, 2013 for species under a normal consultation process and by October 4, 2013 for species under an extend- ed consultation process (information on where to send your comments is provided below). Following the March 4, 2013 deadline there will also be an opportunity to provide comments during the 30-day public consultation period associated with pre-publication in Canada Gazette Part I. This is expected to occur in the fall of 2013. Please email your comments to the Species at Risk Public Registry at: [email protected] Comments may also be mailed to: Director General, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Ottawa ON, K1A 0H3 For more information on the Species at Risk Act, please visit the Species at Risk Public Registry at: www.sararegistry.gc.ca 3 Volume 15, Issue 4 BC Lake Stewardship Society January 2013 BCWWA Courses Available Source: David Icharia, BC Water & Waste Association he BCWWA (BC Water & Waste Water Association) offers a range of courses leading to certification for operators Tthroughout BC. As technology advances and provincial needs and requirements change, their courses are adjusted and developed to meet the needs of operators. Their courses enhance on-the-job performance, and provide Continu- ing Education Units (CEUs) and networking opportunities. Education of water system operators is an essential compo- nent of BC’s source-to-tap approach to protecting drinking water and public health. Small water systems are often challenged by limited training opportunities due to small tax bases, rural locations, and lack of local training opportu- nities. To address this BCWWA has received grant funding from BC Government (Min. of Environment) of $100,000 to develop a program specific to the needs of small water systems. This program begins immediately and must be com- pleted before December 31st, 2013.