The provincial government will clean up another 1,900 kilometres of B.C.'s shoreline this summer, according to an Aug. 14 press release.
"Today we’re announcing $8 million for 17 new projects for coastal First Nations, including Metlakatla, including work on Haida Gwaii, and Skidegate in particular, as well as the west coast," said George Heyman, minister of environment and climate change strategy.
This funding is part of a $25-million provincial investment established in May 2023, for the Clean Coast, Clean Waters initiative (CCCW). Heyman said the CCCW was created in 2020 when the province was trying to find ways to put people back to work, while tackling pressing environmental issues. It has since cleaned up more than 6,400 kilometres of shoreline waste.
"The reason this program is so important is anybody who has gone to remote beaches on the west coast, especially up along the high tide line will have seen significant amounts of plastic waste from all kinds of sources – much of them broken down into tiny, tiny microplastics that end up in the food chain, they foul marine life, they find their way into human food, in fact," said Heyman.
According to Harvard University's Wyss Institute in Boston Mass., marine fouling occurs when aquatic organisms attach themselves to underwater objects such as ropes, boats, pipes and building structures. Animals such as humpback whales can also get entangled in abandoned ropes and nets.
Heyman said because the North Coast has a notable number of derelict vessels and large amount of plastic waste, the Aug. 14 announcement will have a special impact on the region surrounding Haida Gwaii. They are also partnering with the Haida Nation for marine debris cleanups.
While the program has previously only removed plastic waste and derelict vessels from sites, this year is the first time it will also remove derelict aquaculture sites.
Overall, at least 31 run-down vessels and six worn-out aquaculture sites will be removed.
"One of the really good features of this program is – two-thirds of materials that had been collected to date have been recycled and reprocessed here in British Columbia, which also reduces the need for brand new virgin plastic to be produced from fossil fuels. Instead, we are reprocessing used plastic and turning it into usable plastic pellet products for the future," said Heyman.
The funding stream will also create about 639 new jobs for the duration of the project. This includes jobs for people in First Nations coastal communities, local organizations, non-profit organizations, vessel owners, tourism operators, and several individuals whose industries suffered downturns during the pandemic.
The CCCW funds the Marine Debris Removal Initiative (MDRI) which focusses on the Great Bear Rainforest and Great Bear Sea regions. It encompasses marine and terrestrial protected areas, critical habitats for whales, seabirds, sea otters, and dozens of islands.
Members of the Small Ship Tourism Operators (SSTOA), Maple Leaf Adventures, and Bluewater Adventures work for the MDRI initiative.
Between July 18 and Aug. 10, they removed 32.5 tonnes of debris comprising fishing gear, nets, rope, polystyrene floats, plastic bottles, and more — exceeding their target of 30 tonnes.
Eighty per cent of the total marine debris collected was transported to the Ocean Legacy Foundation and KUTE (Kitimat Understanding The Environment) to be recycled.
"To us, it’s not done until whales stop being entangled, plastic stops breaking down on beaches and seabirds are out of danger of ingesting plastic. As eco-tourism operators, doing this work as part of travel is what, to us, the future of tourism looks like," said Kevin Smith, expedition leader at MDRI, and president of tour company Maple Leaf Adventures.
