Quagga mussels confirmed in Black Bay, marking latest invasive spread on Lake Superior
CBC
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has confirmed quagga mussels have been found in the north end of Black Bay on Lake Superior, marking the latest appearance of the invasive species on the lake’s north shore.
The mussels were first flagged earlier this month through a post on the iNaturalist app. That is an online platform where nature enthusiasts share verified observations. The ministry says it has confirmed “the presence of the mussels on the north side of the bay,” adding “they have not found them on the south side.”
Quagga mussels, along with zebra mussels, are part of a group known as Dreissenid mussels. Until recently, they had been reported in nearby Thunder Bay and Nipigon Bay but not in Black Bay.
Brook Shryer, Program Advisor for Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program, says quagga mussels arrived in the Great Lakes in the late 1980s, shortly after zebra mussels.
“Zebra mussel has been in Ontario since around 1988. And as far as we know, the quagga mussel was introduced shortly thereafter, about 1989,” he said.
He says both species were brought to the Great Lakes through ships’ ballast water at a time when the practice was not regulated.
“Ballast water back in the day used to be one of those methods of transport and introduction for these nasty little invasive species,” he said. “Prior to 2006, ballast water was not really regulated in the way that it is today.”
Quagga mussels are similar to zebra mussels but have key differences, including the ability to survive on both hard and soft surfaces, giving them a competitive advantage.
“Quagga mussels can actually live on a soft or a hard surface, whereas zebra mussels can only really survive on hard surfaces,” Shryer said.
Shryer says people may never encounter quagga mussels because they prefer deep water, sometimes as deep as 130 metres.
“So they could be existing in Lake Superior for a very long time,” he said. “Most people aren't going to be encountering these species, thus not reporting them.”
The MNRF warns quagga and zebra mussels filter out phytoplankton, which are tiny algae that form the base of the aquatic food chain. That reduces food for species such as whitefish and lake trout.
Shryer says the mussels’ filter feeding clears the water column, which may seem positive at first but can lead to long-term ecological disruption.
“Unfortunately, in the short term, great, we have clear water. It's beautiful,” he said. “But over time, you're going to have more sunlight penetration. And that changes the entire ecosystem.”
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