Paddling is banned in some waterways in Jasper and other national parks due to the threat of invasive species.

Many lakes and rivers in Alberta’s mountainous national parks have been closed to watercraft due to the threat of aquatic invasive species (AIS), leading some paddlers to call for a more collaborative approach to tackling the issue.

Starting this spring, lakes and rivers in Jasper National Park — as well as Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Waterton Lakes — will be divided into three zones, each with different rules for water activities. While some popular lakes and rivers remain open to paddlers, restrictions largely affect backcountry areas.

Andrew Laughlin, a Jasper-based whitewater veteran of more than 20 years, called the new restrictions “soul-crushing” in a letter sent to Parks Canada.

“Some of the most special places I’ve been to in the park have been by boat,” he told CBC News. “And a lot of those places you can’t get to any other way.”

Laughlin said he estimates more than 75 percent of navigable waterways in Jasper are now closed.

Whirlpool disease in Lake Louise

The decision comes after it was reported earlier this month that whirling disease has been confirmed in Lake Louise, which Parks Canada said is “almost certainly” the result of human activity on the lake.

The disease is also present in Banff and Yoho, causing skeletal deformities in young fish such as salmon, whitefish and trout. It can kill up to 90 percent of the population of young fish.

Whirling disease was first confirmed in BC in 2024, and has spread to the Kootenay River watershed, but has not been detected in Kootenay National Park.

“This disease is now on our doorstep, and it is vital that we act now to reduce the risk of it spreading further,” Dave Argument, resource conservation manager for Parks Canada, said at Jasper National Park’s annual forum earlier this month.

Once invasive species and diseases arrive, he said, they are often impossible to remove and can spread downstream.

Parks Canada states on its website that AIS is often spread through watercraft and fishing gear carried between lakes and rivers.

The argument said Parks Canada did not take the decision to impose the ban lightly.

“Each watershed was carefully evaluated to determine the most effective way to protect aquatic ecosystems while continuing to support recreation where it can safely occur,” he said.

What is open and what is closed?

While the main stem of the Athabasca River remains open for recreation, the “veins” that feed it – more advanced backcountry routes with Class 4 and Class 5 rapids – are largely closed to watercraft, fishing vessels, and windsports.

Some rivers will remain open to paddlers because they are downstream of features such as waterfalls, which Parks Canada says act as natural barriers to AIS traveling upstream.

Parks Canada states that scuba diving is permitted in the water recreation area, but only for licensed commercial operators.

Portions of the Athabasca River, Chaba River, and Sanawapta River are part of a “Special Strategy Area”, meaning fishing only with watercraft is prohibited.

Even in restricted areas, swimming, beach toys, snorkeling, and fishing without waders or wading boots are still allowed.

A full list of what’s open and closed can be found here Parks Canada website.

To help prevent the spread of AIS, Parks Canada continues to ask people to clean, drain and dry all watercraft and equipment before entering water bodies in parks.

paddlers speak

Laughlin argues that it would be “very difficult” for paddlers to follow the current policy because he believes the map provided by Parks Canada lacks the detail to identify where the endpoints are.

Rather than ban rivers altogether, he said he believed the risk of invasive species spreading could be reduced with stricter and more expensive permits, mandatory gear inspections or quarantines, he said in his letter to Parks Canada.

Although “heartbroken” by the new policy, Laughlin said the new restrictions in Jasper National Park appear to be less limiting for paddlers than in Banff.

The head of a packcrafting organization said he believed the restrictions would have a particularly deep impact on the emerging game. These ultra-light, inflatable boats allow users to go deep into the wilderness and paddle out – Matthew Bruce, president of Packcraft Canada, says these trips create a bond with the land.

“When people are able to have fun in these beautiful places, it creates a sense of attachment,” he said. “I think this is going to generate more advocacy and protection than a complete ban.”

Bruce stressed the importance of “biosecurity” and said he hoped user groups like his could become part of the conversation with Parks Canada about extending the restrictions further.

He said he is conducting an online survey of people who do packaging, and hopes the information collected can be used to make decisions in the future.

Bruce said, “I don’t know anyone who would put in the effort that we do to get to these places… who wouldn’t take an extra step to make sure it happens.”

He urged paddlers to follow the new Parks Canada restrictions, but also to speak up and share their experiences.

Bruce said he wants packrafters and others who spend time on water bodies in national parks to demonstrate that they can be part of a strategy to help stop the spread of AIS.