Environment Minister Dustin Duncan introduced legislation earlier this month that will improve the province’s ability to respond to threats posed by prohibited and aquatic invasive species, and provide additional protection for aquatic species at risk.

The new Act allows administrative penalties to be applied for offences that don’t directly impact fishery resources but still warrant a form of financial consequence, such as failing to abide by permitting conditions.

Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, Darrell Crabbe.

"The majority of the changes recognized in the act are just trying to create a more consistent playing field for enforcement and compliance when it comes to searches and seizures, and what they did was just align it with the wildlife act."

This is the first update to the Fisheries Act since 1994. Crabbe says changes usually aren't made to the act very often unless a number of concerns are brought up over the course of a few years.

"They only open the fishing or wildlife act rarely, we somewhat build them all up [issues and concerns] for about 4 or 5 years before the act actually gets opened."

One part of the act that could affect the average angler - enforcement and compliance will have more power when it comes to seizing boats that could be carrying invasive species.

"The AIS, aquatic invasive species group, we also sit on that and are very active within it. Right now the biggest issue is surrounding mussels that are coming in from the east. The new act gives enforcement and compliance a lot more power to be able to seize boats that they may suspect are carrying mussels or any other aquatic invasive species."

Zebra mussels began showing up in provincial lakes in recent years, which can be devastating to the ecosystem. They can easily latch on to boats, and if that boat is moved to a second body of water, the mussel detaches and can cause damage to its new home.