Large number of aquaculture feed bags wash up on island shores southeast of Ucluelet

Large number of aquaculture feed bags wash up on island shores southeast of Ucluelet
CHEK

A clean up is underway southeast of Ucluelet after Parks Canada discovered a large number of plastic aquaculture feed bags had washed up on the shores of a group of islands in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

The discovery was made on Nov.10 and so far, approximately 2,000 plastic bags have been removed from four of the inner islands in the Broken Group Islands.

The agency says the arrival of storm season will make it a challenge to reach all areas of the island group.

Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are investigating the incident.

Over the weekend, a group of 5 volunteers collected dozens of fish feed bags as well as more than 1000 pieces of plastic further north in Florencia Bay in less than an hour.

Surfrider Pacific Rim says that while the latest spill needs to be cleaned up quickly, existing plastic pollution in the ocean is already a disaster.

 

Ben O'HaraBen O'Hara

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