Falklands : Public Meeting Report Part 2
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 28.05.2008 (Article Archived on 11.06.2008)
Pollution from Ocean 8 is fouling beaches in Berkley Sound
PUBLIC MEETING REPORT 26/05/08
Part 2: Ocean 8 Pollution
By J. Brock (FINN)
In part 2 of the public meeting held on Monday, 26 May 2007 Mr. Philip Miller showed those attending the pathetic picture of an oiled Magellanic Penguin. He reported hundreds of oiled birds as a result of the sinking of the Ocean 8 and the leakage of heavy oil from the vessel. Mr Miller asked what efforts FIG were taking to contain the slick.
Cllr Cockwell said that he had discussed the issue with relevant officials and reported that they were starting to use dispersants but with caution because they could be just as harmful to the environment as the slick itself. Cllr Cockwell went on to say that he wasn’t sure that there was a plan in place to remove the slick. Cllr Birmingham said that fisheries and Conservation have had a meeting about the heavy and light oil that is leaking from the vessel. Falklands Conservation went to the scene on Friday to assess the damage but their findings were inconclusive at that time. Cllr Clausen reiterated the fact that dispersants can cause damage. She went on to say that the South-East winds have pushed the slick ashore. A plan is needed but the ship owners, according to Councillors, were reluctant in telling authorities what to do with the ship.
Cllr Cockwell said that ship owners and Councillors would get together and decide what to do about legislation.
Mr Miller pointed out that two years ago the incident with the Holdberg should have been inspiration for FIG to come up with a contingency plan in case this sort of thing happened again.
Cllr Clausen said that it was the owners’ legal responsibility to deal with this, otherwise, FIG would have to pay for the clean-up. Roger Spink said that the company owning the vessel aren’t being kept informed and that they have e-mailed for info that wasn’t forthcoming.
Former Councillor Davies said that FIG should have been on the job when the ship caught fire and put an oil slick contingency plan in operation prior to the ship sinking. Councillor Cockwell agreed that this was a regrettable situation. Roger Spink said that the ship was under the control of the Falkland Islands Government – the Fire and Rescue Service – and was not handed back to the owners prior to its sinking because the fire was not put out.
Cllr Cockwell said it was not clear to him if FIG had the right to do anything but Councillor Stevens said that they were given the right to do whatever was necessary to prevent pollution.
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