The Canadian Coast Guard has issued a $13,500 fine to a vessel owner in British Columbia. The fine was imposed on the owner of the Muriel D II, a 40-foot wooden fishing vessel moored in Matchlee Bay near Gold River on June 12, 2024.
The Muriel D II, partially sunk and unauthorizedly moored to a Fisheries and Oceans Canada salmon enhancement net pen, posed a significant environmental threat. This pen was not designed to withstand the strain of a sinking vessel, and the situation risked further sinking and pollution of the nearby estuary, threatening the marine environment, the Coast Guard said.
The owner failed to comply despite receiving directives from the Canadian Coast Guard to remove the vessel and prevent pollution by March 18, 2024. The Coast Guard imposed the fine and removed the Muriel D II from the marine environment due to its hazardous nature.
The Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act holds vessel owners accountable for addressing their problem vessels, covering costs such as cleanup, repairs, and remediation actions undertaken by the Coast Guard. Penalties are issued only when all other efforts to resolve the situation have been exhausted.
This case marks the fourth fine issued to a hazardous vessel owner in British Columbia and the fifth in Canada. The Coast Guard reminds vessel owners of their responsibility to properly maintain and dispose of their vessels. To manage and prioritize these issues, the Coast Guard maintains a national inventory of problem vessels. Additionally, since 2016, the Government of Canada, under the Oceans Protection Plan, has funded over 580 projects to remove and dispose of wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels nationwide. Abandoning a vessel in Canadian waters is illegal under this plan.
The Canadian Coast Guard encourages the public to report wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels, stressing the importance of collective efforts in protecting the marine environment.
