EPA allows ship sunk in Canadian fishery

Chicago Tribune (requires registration) ^ | 20 December | Paul Singer

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

EPA allows ship sunk in Canadian fishery Agency designated where the derelict should be dumped; now it may have to remove it

By Paul Singer Washington Bureau

December 20, 2003

WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued a routine permit allowing a private salvage company to sink a 140-foot wooden ship in the Pacific Ocean last month, but an error on the permit led the company to dump the ship in waters claimed by Canada.

Now the ship sits under 1,500 feet of water, loaded with 200 tons of concrete to keep it down. It's resting right in the middle of prime fishing waters for Canadian trawlers. It might have to be raised, concrete and all, at an estimated cost of $2 million.

In a diplomatic tussle that has reached the capitals of both nations, Canadian and U.S. officials are scrambling to figure out who is at fault and how to raise the ship.

According to Canadian fishermen, the Victoria M, a derelict fishing vessel from Tacoma, Wash., was towed out to sea and sunk on Nov. 23, under the guidance of an ocean dumping permit issued by the U.S. EPA. But the coordinates on the permit sent the ship into waters claimed by Canada, not U.S. waters.

The error has added to diplomatic tension between the two nations, which have been arguing about issues ranging from the war in Iraq to prescription drugs to legalization of marijuana.

On Dec. 1, the Canadian Coast Guard issued an alert that "a derelict vessel has been sunk . . . and is considered a hazard to fishermen." < excerpted >

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

"a derelict vessel has been sunk . . . and is considered a hazard to fishermen."

I'm not a fan of seabed trawling but as long as it's legal the Canucks have a point about wanting it removed. It would seem almost impossible with GPS to make this big of an error but when some clerk enters the wrong coordinates I guess it's easy to miss by X number of miles.

Though, I would love to see what happens when a trawler snags 200 tons of concrete, just not from the deck of the trawler!

[Thebaddog]

Is there a name of a person responsible for this misadventure yet?

[Enterprise]

This is no problem really. If it is going to cost 2 million dollars, simply deduct it from the EPA's budget and lay off as MANY EPA employees as is necessary to pay for it.

[pgobrien]

I LIKE the way you think.....if only there WERE a quid pro quo for their stupidity.

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

That's a great idea!
Never happen though...

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Oztrich Boy]

Oh sure. If you're going to use wisdom.

[Steel Eye]

>> Now the ship sits under 1,500 feet of water, loaded with 200 tons of concrete to keep it down <<

Being a flatlander, I am curious. Will a wooden ship not sink unless it is filled with concrete?

[GladesGuru]

That snagging might be almost as much fun as watching the Canadian fishermen trying to read a GPS. Somehow, American fishermen can read a GPS and thereby not only avoid known snags, they even use them to steer back into port via long twisty channels in fog and darkness.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[Itzlzha]

>> Now the ship sits under 1,500 feet of water, loaded with 200 tons of concrete to keep it down <<

Being a flatlander, I am curious. Will a wooden ship not sink unless it is filled with concrete?

My question is...do Fishing boats normally troll the sea floor at 1500' depth, so their nets get snagged?

Even if the ship was 50' high from the bottom, will it effect the nets in reality? Or is this another "gift" from Cretin?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Steel Eye]

You are right. 1500' is pretty deep. Over a quarter of a mile.

The whole thing sounds kinda fishy, doesn't it? :)