A diesel spill from a Grieg Seafood facility on Vancouver Island has led to the closure of shellfish harvesting in Esperanza and Zeballos Inlets. The incident, caused by human error during a fuel transfer, released approximately 8,000 litres of diesel into the water. While Grieg Seafood claims most of the diesel has dissipated, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) maintains closures due to potential chemical and biotoxin risks to shellfish.
Roughly 60 square kilometers of the Esperanza and Zeballos Inlets on Vancouver Island 's west coast remain closed to shellfish harvesting following an 8,000-litre diesel spill from a Grieg Seafood Lutes Creek facility over a month ago. Fisheries and Oceans Canada ( DFO ) states there is reason to believe the quality of shellfish in these areas may be at risk. On December 20 and 31, DFO issued closure notices due to potential chemical and biotoxin exposure, and these notices remain in effect.
Eating contaminated shellfish can make people sick and can even be life-threatening. Shellfish like clams, scallops, and mussels are highly sensitive to the water quality of their marine environment. As they feed by filtering microscopic organisms from the water, harmful bacteria, viruses, and marine biotoxins from their surroundings can accumulate in their tissues and make the people who consume them ill, according to the DFO website. The oil spill on December 14, which occurred at a fish farm near Zeballos on Vancouver Island, was caused by human error during a fuel transfer conducted by Grieg Seafood. The spill happened while the fuel transfer was in progress on a floating concrete platform. According to a spokesperson from Grieg Seafood, it is estimated that most of the spilled diesel has partially evaporated or naturally degraded, and the remainder has dispersed throughout the area. 'Experts working with Unified Command have completed Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique surveys of the area and have only found small, isolated patches of sheen within shoreline sediments near the release location,' the spokesperson said in an email. The company also confirmed that it tested fish at both farms in the vicinity for any impact from the diesel, and lab results have 'confirmed there has been no impact to salmon at either farm.' In 2021, Cermaq Canada was fined $500,000 for spilling approximately 522 litres of marine diesel into the ocean near Campbell River. The incident occurred on March 4, 2017, at a Cermaq farm near the Burdwood Group Islands in Raleigh Passage off the east coast of Vancouver Island. The farm has since been decommissioned. The Grieg Seafood oil spill that occurred on December 14 is currently under investigation by DFO Conservation and Protection fishery officers. The Mirror has reached out to the Nuchatlaht Nation and is awaiting a response. More to come..
OIL SPILL SHELLFISH DIESEL VANCOUVER ISLAND GREIG SEAFOOD FISH FARM DFO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
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