Powell River Harbour Authority will receive federal funding to remove abandoned boats that put public safety and waters at risk.
Federal transport minister Marc Garneau announced on March 12 that the Small Craft Harbours Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program will divide $140,000 among four harbour authorities, three in BC, owned by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The funding is part of the government’s $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan.
City of Powell River manages day-to-day operations of Powell River harbours, including north, south and Westview harbours, under a lease from Small Craft Harbours. In the most recent city budget draft, north, south and Westview harbours have an operating surplus of $331,494.
The responsibility for abandoned vessels falls on the city.
“Up until recently, the sole responsibility was ours,” said city director of infrastructure Tor Birtig. “We'd go after the boat owners, and we've had people turn boats over to us and then we've had to deal with it, either to try to seize it or just send it to the scrap heap.”
Birtig added that the cooperation of Small Craft Harbours helps fund part of the costs associated with removing abandoned boats from the harbour.
Currently, the city does not consider any in-harbour boats as derelict, but some owners have let their boats deteriorate close to that condition and are struggling to maintain and keep them afloat.
“Here we have boats in the marina that are abandoned and then, of course, the marina has to try to recoup the cost by auctioning them off,” said Birtig. “If they can't auction them off, then they have to try to get them towed away and disposed of, which is expensive.”
Abandoned vessels are normally left at moorage in small craft harbours, such as Powell River and Okeover, and their owners simply walk away. Then there are vessels that are taken out to deep water and scuttled.
BC coastal waters and harbours include hundreds of abandoned boats. Derelict wrecks disposed of underwater and unseen are becoming an increasing environmental concern, with some still containing fuel, other toxins and plastics.
“In Okeover, generally, the disposal is take them out and sink them because no one will know,” said Powell River Yacht Club commodore Blake Hoffert. “Obviously, that's concerning because you have all of this plastic. These boats, which are usually plastic boats and fiberglass, have been sunk for decades. It's concerning.”
Hoffert said BC should follow Washington State’s program, which has been cited as a model for dealing with the problem of sunken or neglected watercraft.
“Every year you get a boating licence for your boat, and you pay into a fund,” said Hoffert. “That fund is there is to get rid of derelict boats. Washington is way ahead of us in terms of regulations and laws. Unfortunately, BC hasn't reached that yet and that's why Washington has, essentially, no problem with derelict boats, and we have a big problem.”
