Dec. 17, 2003: Black Dragon goes to the bottom again
by Jillian Dickens
The Westerly News
December 17, 2003
The raising of the Black Dragon from Mayne Bay caused all shellfish harvesters in the area to shut down operations due to leaking fuel oil.
On Dec.12, shellfish harvesters in the area of Mayne Bay, Pipestream Inlet and most of Toquart Bay were advised to stop all harvests of bivalve molluscs, including oysters, mussels, scallops, clams and geoducks - which has local operators worried.
"It will ruin our farm," said Toquart First Nations Chief Bert Mack. The Toquart Nation harvest oysters, mussels and clams in Toquart Bay.
The Black Dragon has been a controversial subject since it crossed Canada's borders in 1999 carrying a load of would-be immigrants from China. It was confiscated, along with three other Chinese migrant ships, and later sold to the Port Alberni Artificial Reef Society. Proving useless to the Society, it was subsequently sold to Nanaimo brothers Guy and Chuck Polkinghorne who ended up illegally mooring it to a navy buoy in Mayne Bay in June, where it sank four months later.
The ship sinking caused little oil spillage, but when it was raised a month later on Dec. 7, more fuel was released.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) are currently conducting an investigation to identify just how much oil was spilled, how long it will take for the oil to naturally flush out of the area, and how much damage this will have to the surrounding environment.
"You have to give it time to clear out naturally," said Randy Webb, Shellfish Manager for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Just how much time is presently unknown, he added.
Canadian Coast Guard and Environment Canada were aware the freighter was moored to the navy buoy and could potentially sink, causing economic and environmental problems. However, nothing was done. As the privately-owned ship was moored to a navy buoy causing no immediate environmental risk, there was uncertainty as to whose responsibility the freighter was. The owners apparently have no assets and have been difficult to reach, according to Coast Guard officials. And under federal law, a derelict ship cannot be seized unless it is posing an immediate environmental threat, said Malcolm McCulloch, acting officer in charge of the Bamfield Coast Guard station. After it sank it became the responsibility of federal environmental authorities.
The process of raising the ship and cleaning up the spill will cost the government over $1million. The shellfish closure will cost local harvesters an unknown amount in business losses. And the damage to the environment will remain unknown until DFO completes their investigation.
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