The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed Saturday that golden mussels have been found in and around the Port of West Sacramento, the northernmost detection of the invasive species to date.
The California Department of Water Resources detected the golden mussel, a freshwater mollusk native to Asia, in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in 2024. This marked the first sighting of the organism in North America.
Following the Department of Water Resources’ initial discovery, it made observations of mussels at numerous other locations throughout the Delta. According to a 2024 news release from state fish and wildlife officials, the mussels pose “a significant immediate threat to the ecological health of the Delta and all waters of the state, water conveyance systems, infrastructure and water quality.”…