Fears for BC’s Endangered Killer Whales After Huge Fuel Spill From Sunken US Fishing Boat

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VICTORIA — A fishing boat that capsized with nearly 10,000 liters of fuel on board near the Canada-U.S. marine border sank in one of the worst possible places for endangered killer whales, says an expert on pollutants from the ocean.

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Peter Ross, a senior scientist with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation, said the ship sank in an important feeding area for endangered southern resident killer whales. It will be a race against time to clean up the spill, he said.

“The most concerning part of this whole incident is that it probably happened in the worst place of all for the southern resident killer whales, right in the middle of critical habitat,” Ross said.

The area is protected under the US Endangered Species Act, he said, because it is a popular fishing spot for killer whales. Chinook salmon, the whales’ main prey and a species facing its own survival challenges, swim along the cliffs on San Juan Island, creating a feeding channel for killer whales, she said.

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Only 74 southern resident killer whales remain, and the federal government says the main threats to the species are pollutants, declining chinook populations and acoustic disturbances.

The US Coast Guard said Monday the whales were last seen west of Port Angeles, at least 50 kilometers from the spill site, but Ross said it’s no more than a day’s travel for the killer whales. .

The Aleutian Isle sank Saturday off San Juan Island, about 15 miles east of Victoria, and its five crew members were rescued by a good Samaritan, the US Coast Guard said.

The vessel is about 30 meters underwater and the fuel on board included diesel, motor oil and assorted other oils. Authorities have not determined what caused the sinking.

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On Monday, the coast guard’s Pacific Northwest division said a dive team was looking for the best way to secure vents on the ship so tanks can be emptied.

Petty Officer Michael Clark told The Associated Press that a sheen had entered Canadian waters and there was concern for southern resident killer whales last seen near the southern tip of San Juan Island but heading toward Port Angeles.

By Monday afternoon, they were seen west of Port Angeles, “a long way from the spill,” the Coast Guard said.

A security zone has been established around the response area and all boats must stay at least 914 meters from any diving boats, he said.

No whales have been identified in the affected area and personnel are on site to prevent marine mammals from approaching.

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There have been no reports of wildlife being oiled and air quality levels remain below harmful thresholds, he said.

However, Ross warned that the threat is not over. If the whales return to the area, the diesel fumes can be “extremely toxic” to them if inhaled. The risk depends on the volume and levels of wind at the time of exposure.

“That can present significant damage, if it’s in the right concentration and if there’s no wind to disperse it,” he said.

Diesel can also enter the food chain, starting in biofilm on the surface of ocean water, if ingested by bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton.

Identifying exactly what types of oil and other fuels were on board the ship is also an urgent concern, he said. Given the threats facing endangered whales, it’s critical that divers identify fuels, stop leaks and possibly even work on recovering the vessel, she said.

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“This is an environmental emergency,” he said.

Conservationists are also keeping an eye on the effects on salmon, but it may depend on how officials handle the leak.

Misty MacDuffee, director of the Raincoast Wild Salmon Program, said the leak comes as sockeye salmon and other migratory species return to the Fraser River.

Fish must be safe from fuel at the surface of the water, as they spend most of their time deeper.

However, he cautioned against using dispersants to handle oil because it involves breaking slicks into smaller droplets that can distribute toxins throughout the water column.

“Then it becomes deadly,” MacDuffee said.

Oil can also accumulate on shorelines with damaging effects, he said.

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The Canadian Coast Guard said in an email that it stands ready to help as needed, while other US agencies are also helping to contain the oil, track the spill’s trajectory and monitor affected wildlife.

Lt. Cmdr. Brian Dykens said in a statement that government and industry partners are working to develop “an efficient and effective containment and recovery response.”

“The local public, the environment and protected marine species are our top priority,” he said.

— Amy Smart in Vancouver, with files from The Associated Press

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