A commercial fishing boat that had been at least partially submerged in Yellowknife Bay for more than two weeks is once again floating.
The vessel, known as the Sea Bird V, began taking on water on September 2, a spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard said in an email to Cabin Radio.
A pollution containment boom was deployed by the agency to contain diesel fuel and engine oil leaking out of the boat, as first reported by the CBC.
On Friday, after refloating efforts had been completed, a Coast Guard spokesperson said the “quantity of spilled product was assessed as low” but exact quantities were still being determined.
“The Canadian Coast Guard continues to monitor the situation and work with the vessel owner to address further pollution risk,” the spokesperson stated.
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The spokesperson said the short-term environmental impact of spills like this can vary depending on the amount and type of product released, weather conditions, water movement and exposure of sensitive environmental areas.
“Regarding potential long-term ecological impacts, these depend on the nature and extent of the release and are assessed on a case-by-case basis,” the spokesperson said.
Under Canada’s Environmental Protection Act, the Coast Guard added, owners are responsible for addressing pollution or hazards caused by their vessels, including cleanup, repairs, and any actions undertaken by the Coast Guard to respond.
The total costs associated with the agency’s response have not yet been finalized, the spokesperson said.
The vessel’s owner, Brian Abbott, told Cabin Radio he was not available for an interview but confirmed the boat had been pumped dry.
Eshana Gohil contributed reporting.
