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A boat owner was issued a multi-thousand dollar fine in mid-June because the Canadian Coast Guard said it posed a hazard to the marine environment.
The fine was issued to the owner of the Muriel D II, a 40-foot wooden fishing vessel in Matchlee Bay near Gold River, which is on the north end of Vancouver Island.
Under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, the Coast Guard issued a $13,500 fine on June 12 as “a last resort.”
“The issuance of this fine comes after the vessel owner failed to comply with the Canadian Coast Guard’s directions to remove the vessel and take all reasonable measures to prevent pollution from entering the marine environment by March 18, 2024,” a news release said.
“Due to the hazard posed by the sunken vessel, the Canadian Coast Guard had the Muriel D II removed from the marine environment.”
The owner had to pay within 30 days or apply for a review hearing with the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada.
According to the release, the fine was issued because the boat was partially sunk in Matchlee Bay.
It was also moored without authorization to a Fisheries and Oceans Canada salmon enhancement net pen, which was scheduled to be removed and used as a hatchery at another location.
The Coast Guard said the vessel “posed a risk of completely sinking and polluting the nearby estuary.
Owners are responsible for the costs of addressing their problem vessel, officials said.
That includes cleanup or repairs and any remediation actions taken by the coast guard and fines are only issued after all “other avenues have been exhausted.”
This is the fourth time that a fine has been issued to a hazardous vessel owner in British Columbia and the fifth fine to be issued in Canada.