When the ex-Coast Guard cutter Ready went down on Jan. 17, spewing fuel into Howe Sound, a number of questions remained unanswered.
Who was responsible for knowing what was on board and cleaning up the mess? Who was responsible for raising it and when would that happen?
Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson Dan Bate made it clear the Coast Guard was only responsible for fuel-related issues and said the amount of fuel was a "very, very small and negligible amount."
Bate said raising the ship and cleaning up any other debris was the responsibility of the owner.
On Wednesday (Feb. 2), Ministry of Natural Resource Operations public affairs officer David Currie laid claim to the Ready.
"The province does own the vessel," Currie said. "The vessel was unauthorized to be moored on Crown land and the province assumed responsibility for the vessel when its former owners were struck from the Corporate Registry in 2006 for failing to file the required documentation."
However, according to Currie, that doesn't mean the province is going to do anything about it.
He said jurisdiction for derelict vessels depends on the circumstances but normally after consulting Transport Canada, the Ministry of Natural Resource Operations has the right to remove abandoned vessels tied to wharves or pilings on Crown land that are not authorized under the Land Act, such as the Ready.
In the case of breached, grounded or sunken vessels, Transport Canada or the provincial government will take action if the vessel is considered a wreck or abandoned.
However, the two key determining factors for whether the province decides to take action are whether the vessel poses an environmental threat or is a hazard to navigation.
According to Currie, the Ready is neither, which is why it will stay right where it is, sunken in the waters just off Britannia Beach.
But that isn't what local environmentalist John Buchanan said he was told when he contacted the ministry.
"The Ministry of Natural Resources committed to raising the ship," he said on Tuesday (Feb. 1). "They emailed me and told me they will be raising the ship and I've been pushing them for a timeline - I want to know when. And they've also committed to addressing the derelict vessels down there."
Buchanan, who has been sending updates and photos to local and provincial government officials since the sinking urging them to clean up the fuel, doesn't have a lot of faith in the province's promises, although he hopes he's wrong.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
Buchanan continues to monitor the Ready and said there was still fuel seeping out of the ship this week.
Currie said raising the Ready would only occur if a qualified and suitable salvager who is interested in salvaging the vessel's metals is identified.
In that case he may not have to wait long, as one certified diver is vying for the job as long as the ministry pays him $20,000. Currie did not say whether the ministry would respond to the request.
For Buchanan, the situation highlights an important issue - the growing number of derelict boats in Squamish-area waterways, along the Mamquam Blind Channel and the Cattermole Slough.
He said the number of abandoned ships has increased dramatically in recent years and he's worried about the environmental hazards the vessels present.
"Compared to two years ago, when the Blind Channel was basically empty, I've seen all these big vessels up here and I don't know who owns them, so it concerns me," he said, adding that a lot of them are turned into makeshift homes.
"I don't really have a problem with the vessels down here and the people living on them as long as they take care of their garbage and any type of sewage."
Buchanan said when people abandon the vessels, he wants to know that someone will take on the responsibility of them cleaning up afterwards.
The number of derelict and makeshift living accommodations on Squamish's shores hasn't gone unnoticed by council. In July, District of Squamish (DOS) council asked staff to look into a municipal harbour commission so the DOS could manage the waterways in the area.
Staff told council a federally mandated Boating Restriction Regulation (BRR) would give Squamish the power to limit or prohibit certain types of boats to specific areas, mandate lengths of stay and enforce speed limits.
But it's a lengthy process. It took Vancouver four years to get the BBR - from 2001 to 2005 - and the city was the first in Canada to achieve authority over anchoring vessels.
According to Coun. Doug Race, the Canada Shipping Agreement already has a regulation in place regarding dumping of waste. Dumping has to be done more than three miles off shore.
Looking at the water in the Blind Channel, Buchanan said he suspects it's not being followed or enforced.
On Monday (Jan. 31), Mayor Greg Gardner said he was bringing forward a recommendation that council send a letter to the federal government advising leaders of council's concerns with derelict vessels and their environmental issues within the District of Squamish.
"I think anywhere that there's safe harbour, you tend to have boats that wind up being there, so I think it's an issue that needs to be managed by someone," he said. "There can be navigational issues, potentials for conflict with different land holders or tenure holders. Also, they can become shelters for transients that may or may not be desirable.
"There are a number of issues that go along with it."
Squamish isn't the only municipality worried about derelict vessels. At the 2010 Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention in September, it was discussed at length.
Islands Trust, a Gulf Islands-based, provincially created body dedicated to the protection of the islands and shorelines in the Strait of Georgia and Howe Sound, co-hosted a well-attended workshop called "Finding Solutions for the Management of Derelict Vessels."
According to the Islands Trust chair Sheila Malcolmson, a joint working group was formed to come up with a strategy for the removal of derelict vessels in British Columbia.
"It's an issue we've come to realize needs to be addressed to protect out shorelines," she said.
"We need to co-operate with higher levels of government to consider disposal options for derelict and abandoned vessels across the province - so far people have been receptive but it comes down to actually taking action."
