News
Planned sinking of artificial reef in Canada in ‘final stages’ despite staunch opposition
CANADA – British Columbia’s Artificial Reef Society has said that it is in the final stages of preparation to sink HMCS Annapolis in Halkett Bay Provincial Marine Park off Gambier Island in Howe Sound.
But groups opposing the plan to sink the decommissioned destroyer say the reef society is getting ahead of itself as there are legal and environmental issues that have yet to be resolved.
The project has faced opposition since 2008 from the Save Halkett Bay Marine Park Society and Georgia Strait Alliance and has also faced financial challenges. The ship was even seized by the court at one point over a dispute with the company mooring it.
“Throughout all that difficulty, we navigated successfully to where we are right now through careful planning and adhering to the rules and regulations and being fully compliant and even exceeding the standards with the government to the extent that we’re now fully permitted,” said Howard Robbins, the Artificial Reef Society’s president. “We’re hoping to get it down before the end of January.”
When the time comes, the 113-metre vessel will be towed into place and anchored to concrete blocks before specially designed explosive charges will punch square holes in the hull allowing it to sink about 32 metres to the seafloor.
Once inspections have been carried out, the Annapolis will be available to be explored by qualified divers who it’s hoped will document the various species that move into the wreck in a citizen-based science project called the Annapolis Biodiversity Index Study.
But the Save Halkett Bay group hired an independent lab in November to take a paint sample from the hull, which was tested and shown to contain tributylin, a toxic anti-fouling agent designed to prevent sea life from growing on ship hulls. It was banned by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization in 2008 and by the Canadian government in 2009.
“It doesn’t actually matter what the quantity is because it’s a substance that’s not allowed to be disposed of, especially at sea,” said Save Halkett Bay spokesman Gary MacDonald. “We simply don’t understand why the Artificial Reef Society isn’t pausing and really checking to make sure the ship is clean.”
Robbins, however, said he questions the validity of the Save Halkett Bay group’s testing and that he will defer to Environment Canada, which has the final say on the project. “We follow Environment Canada’s rules. They’re the ones that set the standards and they’re the ones that have certified the ship as ready to go and clean for the environment,” he said. “The remaining opposition is simply NIMBYism masking itself as environmentalism.”
Save Halkett Bay is now formally asking Environment Canada for a board of review to re-evaluate the Annapolis’s permit and for a full independent inspection of all the materials aboard the destroyer. The group is also awaiting a response to its court petition to stop the sinking. The petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court in October cites the project’s failure to comply with provincial park regulations. The petition also cites other groups that have opposed the sinking, including the Islands Trust, on the grounds that sinking the ship would violate its land use bylaws and the United Church of Canada because it owns a campground on Halkett Bay where kids go canoeing and swimming.
Much of the controversy over the project has been misplaced, according to Jeff Marliave, vice-president of marine science at the Vancouver Aquarium and an independent arbiter on the project. “The seafloor in the area where Annapolis will be sunk was permanently damaged by layers of Douglas fir bark piling up during log booming years,” he said. “I think, in all, this is a very safe place to put down a feature that will become a very safe dive site.”
Marliave added that the ship will create new habitat and will prevent divers from damaging natural reefs. “I would predict from what we know about Halkett Bay that we’re going to be seeing glass sponges and rock fish and all kinds of things,” he said.
Source: www.nsnews.com
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Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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