Zebra Mussel Response Planning Guide for the Saint-François River Basin
The Zebra Mussel Response Planning Guide is a decision support tool to be used when this invasive species is detected. It outlines the steps required in deciding whether a response is possible or desirable, determining the best response option depending on the situation, and facilitating the implementation of an appropriate response. This guide was prepared by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (Quebec Department of Forests, Wildlife and Parks) (MFFP) to give governments (municipal, provincial and federal) and local Saint-François River watershed organizations the tools they need in making decisions to control the spread of the zebra mussel. Zebra mussels cause significant changes in water quality and have impacts on all trophic levels. They can spread when recreational boats carrying them are moved from one body of water to another. The mussels will colonize any available surface, including infrastructure such as water intakes, pipes supplying dams and power plants, and irrigation systems.