British Columbia

B.C. fish farm company says it 'highly regrets' diesel spill

Hundreds of litres of bio diesel spilled near Echo Bay, B.C. on Sunday.

Cermaq Canada says its marine spill experts are on site

Diesel spill from B.C. fish farm leaks into ocean

8 years ago
Duration 0:54
Local First Nations chief says damage well beyond spill area

The owner of a British Columbia salmon farm where hundreds of litres of fuel spilled on the weekend says it "highly regrets'' the incident and will review its procedures.

Cermaq Canada says coast guard staff performed a fuel reconciliation and determined the spill was closer to 600 litres and not the 1,500 litres the company reported earlier.

It says spill pads and booms were immediately deployed at the farm off the north coast of Vancouver Island and quick actions by staff helped reduce the impact on the environment.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said it believes the spill was caused by a diesel pump left unattended. (Twyla Roscovich)

The company says its marine spill experts are now on site and it is putting together all resources necessary to minimize the impact on the surrounding areas.

The leader of a nearby First Nation has said he's worried about the impact the spill will have on a major food source for his community, as the area is critical for clam digging.

Bob Chamberlin says there will be a need for his First Nation and other groups to monitor how far the spill reached and evaluate how it affects the area.

Sheen from the spill is "unrecoverable," according to the Canadian Coast Guard. (Twyla Roscovich)