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Prevention of Oiled Wildlife Steering Committee Report “The Solution”
St. John’s … The Government of Canada has received the final report from the Prevention of Oiled Wildlife (POW) Project. Submitted by the POW Steering Committee, the report, entitled The Solution, documents the third and last phase of the project, which examined the role of existing preventative measures in the battle against chronic oil pollution on the South Coast of Newfoundland. The Solution offers eleven recommendations to the Government of Canada to help address this serious problem.
“I would like to thank the members of the POW Steering Committee for their dedicated work on this important issue. The Government of Canada will review their findings and recommendations carefully and build them into future priorities setting,” said the Honourable Robert Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “The Government recognizes that there continues to be a problem with oil pollution in Placentia Bay and on the south coast of Newfoundland and that we need to continue working towards an acceptable solution.”
The report acknowledges that there is no one all-encompassing solution to the problem of oiled wildlife and emphasizes that attention should be focused on monitoring, education and awareness, surveillance, and enforcement.
“The Government of Canada will continue to work with our domestic and international partners towards the elimination of ship-source marine pollution in all Canadian waters,” said The Honourable David Collenette, Minister of Transport Canada. “The Government of Canada has successfully prosecuted numerous marine polluters in the past, and whenever there is sufficient evidence, we will continue to prosecute and to seek higher fines from the Courts as an additional deterrent to ship-source marine pollution.”
“The issue of oiled wildlife is a serious problem and the Government of Canada believes it is necessary to continue to work together if we are going to rectify the situation,” said the Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment. “Only through the co-ordinated and concerted effort of everyone involved will an acceptable solution be found.”
The Phase I report, The Problem, of the project suggested that a minimum of 60,000 to 100,000 seabirds are killed annually on the south coast of Newfoundland during each winter season from ship source oil pollution. The Phase II report, Remedial and Preventative Actions to Date, identified what Canada is currently doing to combat oil pollution as well as profiling several international initiatives. The report found that Canada is on par with the standards of other countries in making a reasonable effort in most areas, and that resolving the chronic oil pollution and illegal discharge problem relies on the co-operation of the international community, national lead agencies and local authorities.
The POW Steering Committee was comprised of both federal and provincial government representatives, together with industry, environmental and other local interest groups. The committee was chaired by the Canadian Coast Guard.
For more information contact:
Wanda Garrett
Communications Branch
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
(709) 772-7625
Tracey Hennessey
Manager, Communications
Transport Canada
(709) 772-6197
Jon Stone
Associate Manager, Communications Environment Canada, Atlantic Region
(902) 426-3871
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