We are delighted to report there has been some good news from our colleagues on Hanson Island! The BC Environment Minister, Barry Penner has announced that the government and Department of Fisheries and Oceans will salvage critical pieces of wreckage from Robson Bight following the August 2007 barge incident.

Everyone is encouraged by this latest news but there are concerns this may not be carried out before the orcas return in early summer. As with any salvage operation, there will be risks involved but the equipment (which includes a tanker with its toxic cargo) needs to be retrieved as soon as possible. Recent video footage of the sunken equipment in Robson Bight Ecological Reserve shows that the vehicles are mostly upright and relatively undamaged, and do not appear to be leaking yet.

The Marine Connection would like to thank all our supporters who wrote to the Ministers – your letters have helped enormously but we need your help again to make sure that the Government carries out this operation as soon as possible.

Take Action

Please write again to the Ministers involved, thanking them for their decision but at the same time, please request that they instruct their officials to act quickly, so the danger to the orcas is removed before they return in June 2008.

Thank you.

The Hon Barry Penner Minister of the Environment email The Hon Loyola Hearn Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada) email