Keep your vessels up to snuff, Victoria!
On Tuesday, June 27th, the Canadian Coast Guard issued the first ever fine under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
The fine was $15,000 — an administrative monetary penalty given to Ryan Brackenbury after multiple warnings were issued over the past few months to remove his boat that had aground.
The ticket was issued after Brackenbury failed to comply with the Canadian Coast Guard to remove the vessel.
Known as Akoo, this 27-foot white hull cabin cruiser was aground in Saanich’s Cadboro Bay and had been polluting the marine environment, deteriorating rapidly, and continuously drifting ashore, becoming a public safety hazard.
The fine has to be paid within 30 days or the owner must apply for a review hearing with the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada.
This removal and fine is done in compliance with the Oceans Protection Plan, a strategy implemented in 2016 to address the issues posed by wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous boats.
Since its implementation, under the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada has made it illegal to abandon boats in Canada’s waters and have funded nearly 500 projects to remove hazardous or abandoned boats.
If you have any boats you’d like to report, the Canadian Coast Guards ask that you contact them.
