Invasive zebra mussels discovered in St. John River watershed in Quebec

Zebra mussels have already wreaked havoc in the Great Lakes, altering ecosystems and the food chain, and damaging water pipes in municipal water systems, power plants and other industrial sites.

Now the invasive species has spread — or been carried — to the east and is at the edge of New Brunswick.

Zebra mussels have been discovered in the St. John River watershed, according to the New Brunswick Invasive Species Council. 

"We are saddened to share that an established zebra mussel population has been discovered in Lac Témiscouata, just across the border into Quebec," the council announced on its website Thursday.

Although the mussels have not yet been detected in New Brunswick, Lac Témiscouata flows into the province's Madawaska River and then into the St. John River, which flows through the entire length of the province and empties into the Bay of Fundy at Saint John. 

Waterways don't even need a direct connection for zebra mussels to spread.

All they need is human activity, especially recreational boating, said Anthony Ricciardi, a biology professor at McGill University in Montreal, who has been studying zebra mussels for 30 years.

Young zebra mussels often attach to vegetation, which frequently gets caught up in propellers, anchors and other parts of boats. The mussels can also survive out of water for several days, so when the boat is returned to the water in another location, the mussels can settle into a new habitat. 

Ricciardi said humans are "exclusively responsible" for spreading zebra mussels among waterways.

They are also the key to slowing the spread by ensuring they haven't picked up any aquatic hitchhikers, he said. 

"So the best thing you could do is try to reduce the spread and by recognizing the role that people play," said Ricciardi. "And I would emphasize the role of recreational water users, especially boaters, because that is almost certainly how the species got into Lac Témiscouata.

"Throughout Earth's history, species have moved into new regions. But under human influence, species like the zebra mussel are spreading faster than ever before and to remote areas that they could never reach without human assistance."

Although species have always moved into new territory, it's now "happening at a speed that is unprecedented," he said. 

Kristin Elton, program director for the New Brunswick Invasive Species Council, urges anyone spending time in the Madawaska or upper St. John rivers to be vigilant and take precautions to prevent bringing zebra mussells into the province. She said they should "clean, drain and dry" all boats, trailers, and other recreational equipment after leaving those areas.