Published on May. 21, 2026, 4:15 PM
The species has not yet been detected in Canada, but B.C. officials are monitoring the situation following emergency declarations in at least two California counties.
Golden mussels are causing major problems in California, with at least two counties declaring local emergencies due to infestations.
The mussels, originally from Asia, were first discovered in California in 2024, believed to be the first North American detection, and have been spreading rapidly ever since.
The population boom is partly due to a lack of natural predators, combined with a rapid breeding cycle, with adults able to produce up to 1 million offspring each year.
Because the species reproduces in such large numbers, it can quickly colonize pipes, boating equipment, and other hard surfaces, causing costly infrastructure damage.
Not only do they spread fast, but they also spread far, and are capable of increasing their range by upwards of 240 kilometres annually, carried to new locations via boating equipment and through sand transported to other areas for beach replenishment projects.
A resilient species
Another concern is that golden mussels are more tolerant of calcium, temperature, and salinity levels than other invasive mussels.