B.C. salmon farmer Grieg Seafoods spilled about 7,500 litres of diesel oil into Hecate Channel near Zeballos on Saturday, Dec. 14, after what government officials say was a “human error during fuel transfer” at the Lutes Creek farm site.
Co-ordinated efforts are currently underway to contain the spill, but it’s been a difficult process due to storm and large tide swings, according to Ehattesaht/Chinehkint First Nations Chief and Council.
“It will be our priority over the next few hours and days to protect and preserve the waters and our important beaches as we contain and clean,” reads a Dec. 15 written statement from Ehattesaht/Chinehkint Chief and Council.
“These spills are all too common on the coast of B.C. and unacceptable in Ehattesaht Territory. It is a stark reminder of the risks inherent in fuel transport and storage in every industrial sector,” the statement continues.
Zeballos Inlet is now closed to clam harvesting until officials can be certain there is no diesel contamination.
“We know that pockets of diesel have travelled up across the channel to Nootka Island and Steamer Point, up Zeballos Inlet and down Esperanza on the north side,” said Ehattesaht/Chinehkints Chief and Council.
According to a Dec. 15 Spill Incident Report from the Province of B.C., Grieg Seafood has retained Strategic Natural Resource Consultants (Strategic) as their Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP).
The most recent update from the province stated that Strategic had placed absorbent boom around the spill site, but reported that they were unable to locate recoverable diesel on the water.
On water and aerial surveillance has confirmed that “visible sheen” has been identified leaking from all directions of the diesel spill site.
Ehattesaht/Chinehkint say they will be issuing new directives on how to handle fuel coming into their territory.
“The fuel docks in Esperanza and Zeballos as well as the logging camps and trucks who deliver the fuel to these various operations will all be reviewed for their equipment, their policies and their fail-safe systems,” said Ehattesaht/Chinehkint Chief and Council.
Grieg Seafoods apologized in a statement on their website.
“We are doing all we can together with the First Nations, Coast Guard and other authorities to minimize damage. It was a human error, and we are looking into our routines, and how we transfer fuel in the future to make sure this does not happen again,” the statement reads.