A diesel spill of up to 8,000 litres has occurred at an open-net pen salmon farm operated by Grieg Seafood in Zeballos Inlet on Vancouver Island’s northwest coast.
The incident, attributed to “human error during fuel transfer” on a floating concrete platform, was reported to the Environmental Emergency Branch on Saturday.
Aerial and ground surveillance identified a visible sheen extending north and west toward Centre Island, with smaller patches observed south and east toward Steamer Point. The Ehattesaht First Nation has issued a clam harvesting closure in Zeballos Inlet as a precautionary measure, citing concerns over cleanup challenges caused by recent storms and significant tidal swings.
“These spills are all too common on the coast of B.C. and are unacceptable in Ehattesaht territory,” the First Nation stated in a social media post. “It is a stark reminder of the risks inherent in fuel transport and storage in every industrial sector.”
In a statement, Grieg Seafood acknowledged the incident: “It was a human error, and we are looking into our routines and how we transfer fuel in the future to make sure this does not happen again.” The company has engaged Strategic Natural Resource Consultants to handle the cleanup.
Strategic reported deploying absorbent booms at the spill site but noted no recoverable diesel could be located on the water.
The provincial government has convened coordination calls with Grieg Seafood, Strategic, the Canadian Coast Guard, and representatives from the Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations, as well as officials from Zeballos and Tahsis, to manage the response.
The environmental impact on the salmon in the pens and the surrounding ecosystem remains under assessment. CBC News has sought further details from Grieg Seafood and Strategic about the cleanup efforts.
