Second
look for Reay Creek fish kills: Environment Canada inspectors returning
to continue probe of Sidney
stream
Environment Canada inspectors
will return to Sidney
in a few weeks to continue their investigation
of fish kills in Reay Creek.
A team of scientists and
inspectors spent two full days in mid-November
collecting samples from the creek and its
tributaries, in an attempt to determine
the sources and cause of repeated fish
kills.
"There's no doubt
we will be going back," Ken Wile,
head of inspections for Environment Canada,
Pacific and Yukon region, said Friday.
More than 100 coho fry
introduced to Reay Creek by elementary
school children this spring were found
belly-up in the creek on Oct. 29.
Several sticklebacks, considered
to be hardier fish, were also floating
on the surface of the poisoned stream.
"At this point, we
don't have all the information," said
Wile. "This is a longer-term process."
Lab results will be ready
in about two weeks. Environment Canada inspectors
will have discussions with fisheries officers
to try to interpret the results.
The inspectors are making
an overall assessment of the pollution
problems in the watershed, said Wile.
"We won't know over
the short term what caused the fish kill.
The fish kills could just be single incidents
because of a flush through the storm system.
But there are some indications of chronic
releases of contaminants into that system,
and that's much more complex to try and
evaluate," he said.
During the first inspection,
the Environment Canada team discovered
a plant, a possible electroplating facility,
in the neighbourhood that no one had identified
and which could be a source of pollution
in the creek, said Wile.
"And the airport itself
is a multifaceted operation which has industrial
and commercial activities on its land and
it could be contributing to the problem.
"You just can't grab
a few samples and draw conclusions. It's
not that simple. We're dealing with a watershed
issue."
When the problem has been
identified, Environment Canada will deal
with the problem through enforcement and
regulation, said Wile.
Fisheries and environment
officers have authority under the Fisheries
Act to lay charges if someone has discharged
material that is toxic to fish.
The maximum fine for conviction
on this offence is $300,000. |