FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Government of Canada announces successful prosecution of marine oil polluter

ST. JOHN'S, NFLD, March 21, 2001 - Environment Minister David Anderson today announced that Oak Maritime (Canada) Incorporated, owners of the vessel M.V. Donau Ore, pleaded guilty in Provincial Court to a breach of section 35 (1) of the Migratory Bird Convention Act and have been fined $30,500. The charges were in relation to an incident in February of 2000 in which the vessel was observed trailing a seven kilometre long oily slick, approximately 40 miles from the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve in south east Newfoundland.

The fine represents the largest penalty ever levied under the Government of Canada’s Migratory Bird Convention Act. This was also the first time that this particular piece of conservation legislation was successfully used for a marine pollution offence.

"With this conviction we have a new and effective tool to strengthen the Government of Canada’s ability to eliminate the chronic pollution of Canada’s marine environment by ships", said Minister Anderson.

On February 22, 2000, a pollution prevention officer on a Fisheries & Oceans Coast Guard surveillance flight observed the vessel trailing a 7 kilometre long oil slick oil off the south coast of Newfoundland, about 40 nautical miles from the Cape Saint Mary's Ecological Reserve in waters heavily used by wintering sea bird populations.

Each year tens of thousands of seabirds are killed and the marine environment polluted by the illegal discharge of oily, toxic bilge waste in Atlantic coastal waters. Federal departments responsible for enforcing marine pollution laws work co-operatively to bring this chronic pollution and destruction of marine wildlife to an end. They carry this out by way of aerial surveillance as well as detection and tracking of vessels by satellite that are illegally dumping oily bilge waste.

Canada’s seabirds, marine wildlife and marine ecosystems are a precious resource not only for Canada but the world, and must be protected. Environment Canada, Transport Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Department of National Defence, have responsibilities for helping enforce Canadian legislation and prosecuting ship source polluters.

Most members of the marine industry carry out their operations in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. However, the Government of Canada will continue, in co-operation with its domestic and international partners, to prosecute ships and crews which contravene Canada’s environmental protection laws.

For further information, contact:
Wayne Turpin
Head, Enforcement
Environment Canada
Canadian Wildlife Service
St. John’s, Newfoundland
(709) 772-2198