Riding Mountain National Park takes invasive aquatic species very seriously and enforces an inspection for all watercrafts entering any of the lakes.
With free entry to the park this year, there are more boats than ever to hit the water.
Matthew Blackman, Park Warden Supervision for RMNP, notes why the program is in place.
“All watercraft operators are essential to the program and it is essential to stop the threat of invasive aquatic species,” noted Blackman. “100 percent compliance is necessary as it could only take one contaminated vessel to transport a mussel or another invasive aquatic species in the park. So far the program has been very successful. This year we have inspected 3000 boats and done over 100 decontaminations at this point.”
Inspections and decontaminations are free at the stations.
