The Canadian Border Service Agency is there to protect Canadian borders against many threats coming into Canada. But many people may not be aware that they are also on the lookout for plants and animals looking to invade and cause problems in our country. 

"Part of the CBSA's mandate is to prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species into Canadian waters," explained Luke Reimer, a communications officer at the CBSA. "So we do watch for invasive species such as zebra and quagga mussels at the border."

"Our reminder to travellers, for those towing boats, is they must ensure the boats are cleaned, drained and dried. And the boats and trailers are free of mussels before they are allowed entry into Canada."

He adds that the mussels might not be easily visible so it is important to careful to fully clean and dry your boat.

"The mussels can be attached to aquatic vegetation, or even embedded in mud and organic debris, so the travellers must ensure that the watercraft is free of those things. They should remember that the importation overland of zebra and quagga mussels is prohibited across Canada whether they are dead or alive."

"And we want to remind all travellers to clean their boats and drain them before bringing them back to Canada."

Under the Customs Act, and the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations, the CBSA has the authority to detain and refer boats to the province for inspection and to refuse infected watercraft into Canada.

"Since the start 2017, the CBSA has referred 81 high-risk watercrafts to the Ministry of Environment for followup and checked more than 413 watercrafts at the border."

READ MORE: Clean, Drain & Dry: Keep Invasive Aquatic Species Out of Saskatchewan