Feb 26, 2017

Through its eco-certification program: Clean Marine BC

February 16, 2017—Georgia Strait Alliance, a BC-based marine conservation organization, facilitated a spill response training session this week in Victoria Harbour to assist participating marinas with their planning, preparation and responses to small-scale marine oil spills should one occur at their docks. This represents the first time the organization has brought its spill training program to Victoria.

“When marinas and wharfs are trained to provide quick responses to marine spills at their docks, the potential damage to our water and ecosystems can be mitigated,” says ChristianneWilhelmson, Executive Director of Georgia Strait Alliance. “As part of our Clean Marine BC program, we’re bringing spill training to marinas in Victoria on the heels of our successful initial endeavour in Vancouver Harbour last November.”
Georgia Strait Alliance’s award-winning Clean Marine BC program is an eco-certification program for recreational boating facilities committed to reducing contaminants from entering surrounding waters, and minimizing impacts on the environment from all aspects of marina and boating facility operations. The program includes a site verification visit and an anchor rating, with five anchors being the highest rating achievable.

Participants from seven marinas from Victoria, Ladysmith and Pender Island learned valuable skills to effectively deal with small marine oil spills. The full-day session included a classroom component that covered the planning, preparedness, response and post spill phases, followed by a practice scenario involving a moored vessel and a mock marine oil spill.

The session was facilitated by Global Stratagem Consulting, with the support of Georgia Strait Alliance.

http://georgiastrait.org/