New Clear Lake rules ultimately worth it

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/05/2023 (1202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

“Negative economic impacts resulting from banning of trailered watercraft on Clear Lake will be far reaching. Business valuations will plummet, and all business sectors will be impacted, from visitor accommodations to local contractors and service providers.”

— Karly McRae, Wasagaming Chamber of Commerce

Since the unintentional introduction of zebra mussels to Ontario’s Lake Erie in the mid-1980s, provincial governments have been trying to find ways to prevent an ecological disaster in Canada’s many freshwater lakes and waterways.

Over the last four decades, the invasive species has spread through much of Eastern Canada and the United States, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

As per the Parks Canada website, these small but prolific mollusks aggressively invade new areas, with the female of the species producing upwards of one million eggs per year. They colonize nearly any hard underwater surface, such as watercraft hulls, and as they grow in number they can harm power plants, water treatment plants and cottages.

They kill off native fish species and wildlife by reducing algae and food resources at the bottom of the food chain, and are ultimately a costly nuisance to boaters, commercial fishers, anglers and beachgoers, Parks Canada states.

If this species gains a foothold in a regional lake, the result is essentially a disaster, not only for the local ecosystem, but for the local tourism economy that relies upon it. A decline in fish populations will keep away sport fishers. Beaches, which become inundated with smelly and decaying shells as zebra mussels die off, become unusable and even pose a danger to swimmers as the shells are sharp to step on.

The result is a loss of recreation and tourism, which also impacts residential and commercial property values in an area, and increased maintenance costs for docks and equipment. In short, you do not want this species to gain a foothold in your local lake ecosystem.

It’s important to understand the nature of the threat to our waterways, especially when it comes to one of the crown jewels of Manitoba’s fresh water lakes — namely, Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park.

In January, a test for zebra mussel environmental DNA in Clear Lake came back positive. While this does not necessarily mean zebra mussels are already proliferating in the lake — subsequent testing has come back negative — it has prompted park workers to increase monitoring and testing for the species.

It has also prompted Parks Canada to implement new regulations as of Thursday, requiring boat operators to not have used their craft in any other body of water this year, and to pass an initial inspection before June 15 to receive a permit to use a trailered vessel in Clear Lake. To enforce this new regulation, Parks Canada will install tags to attach boats to trailers, informing park staff the vessel has not been in another water body and poses no risk of bringing invasive species into the lake. If the tag is removed, cut or tampered with, the boat will not be allowed to launch in the lake for the remainder of the season.

These new regulations have not been without controversy. Earlier this month, the Sun reported that a petition created by Karly McRae, president of the Wasagaming Chamber of Commerce, that called on Parks Canada to overturn the new restrictions for this year’s boating season had garnered more than 1,000 signatures.

Among the concerns McRae and Westman Conservative MPs Dan Mazier and Larry Maguire have with the regulations is that Parks Canada had not consulted local communities before their implementation, and that the federal department has been unresponsive to repeated inquiries on the subject.

No doubt these restrictions will affect Canadians’ enjoyment of Clear Lake and of the national park. And Parks Canada’s lack of public consultation is troubling, particularly when it comes to protecting one of our province’s most exquisite natural resources.

We certainly want the federal government to be more responsive to local public concerns.

But we agree with RMNP’s external relations manager, Dameon Wall, who told the Sun on Monday that, in spite of some local opposition, most people have vocalized their support of the new initiatives.

“The overwhelming response has been a clear understanding that we’re doing this for the future, that Parks Canada is standing up for nature, for future generations,” Wall said.

There are no easy answers for businesses impacted by the rules; increased restrictions are not a welcome addition to already strong regulations. But it must be said that these new requirements will help keep Clear Lake pristine and viable as a tourist destination, even with the added frustrations imposed by the federal government.

And if given a choice, the cost of keeping Clear Lake clear of zebra mussels and other invasive species is likely far cheaper than the alternative.