Farmers charged over P.E.I. fish kills

Two P.E.I. farmers have been charged in connection with last month's fish kills.

Thousands of fish died  in three different rivers in West Prince after heavy rains in late July. Federal and provincial investigations were started after traces of pesticides were found in the rivers.

On Wednesday, four charges were laid against potato farmer Warren Ellis of Mount Royal and one against Avard Smallman of Knutsford under the provincial Environmental Protection Act.

The act states there must be a 15-metre buffer zone between fields with row crops — for example potatoes — and streams or water courses.

Wade MacKinnon, head of the Environment, Energy and Forestry Department, said the charges related to calls received on July 23, 24 and 26.

"Fields were found in non-compliance with the Environmental Protection Act regulations and today charges were laid in respect to those violations," he said.

The federal investigation continues.

John Jamieson of the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture said none of his members would want to violate the act.

"It really affects our image. We've been monitoring the comments on websites and reading the stuff in the papers and it's hard for us as an industry to talk about that. As much as we don't want to spray, we have to — we have to protect our crops," he said.

"You've got a perfect growing season for late blight this year. It doesn't matter if you're organic or a conventional farmer, you still have to use crop protectors."

Ellis and Smallman are due in Summerside Provincial Court Sept. 13. Convictions for the charges could result in fines from $3,000 to $10,000.