By Ian Holmes

Volume of trash shocks shoreline cleanup volunteers north of Tofino

Jun 8, 2017 | 5:34 PM

NANAIMO — The amount of trash piling up on the shores of Vancouver Island’s west coast is blowing away the founder of a group of volunteers trying to preserve their coastal environment.

Josh Temple of Clayoquot Cleanup estimated 50 tonnes of marine debris would be scooped from Hesquiaht Harbour in northern Clayoquot Sound during a two-week effort. He said 40 tonnes of primarily plastics and fishing gear has already been retrieved halfway through the effort.

“We got there the first day and there were several people that literally broke down in tears when they saw how bad it actually was,” Temple told NanaimoNewsNOW. “You put your head down, you put your gloves on and you just start filling your sacks.”

Temple said the trash, from as far away as Japan, Asia and Russia, has devastating impacts on the marine environment and wildlife.

“It has drifted across the ocean unattended and entangled whales and sea lions, we’ve seen dead birds tangled up.”

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He said their vision is to pluck as much trash as possible from the shoreline of the entire stretch of the Sound in five phases over the next two years.

However, Temple said their cash-strapped group hasn’t seen a dime of government support, which he calls “really sad.”

Temple said they have raised $80,000 for the current effort and are “burning through the money quickly,” paying for things like boats, fuel, a helicopter and food for volunteers. He noted some of their 60 volunteers have taken time off work and spent money out of their own pockets to fund the clean-up.

Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns told NanaimoNewsNOW Clayoquot Cleanup is showing “community leadership in the absence of government leadership.”

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Johns asked for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s stance on marine cleanups and to support the active effort in northern Clayoquot Sound. Johns noted Trudeau pointed to the government’s Ocean Protection Plan, which Johns said makes no mention of dealing with marine debris on Canada’s coast line.

On Thursday, Johns said Transport Minister Marc Garneau acknowledged in the House of Commons that marine trash is a growing problem that the government will look into.

“It’s the first sign of encouragement considering that they’ve got a billion-and-a-half dollars for an Ocean Protection Plan that doesn’t mention or commit any money to marine debris or dealing with ocean plastics.”

You can donate to the Clayoquot Cleanup’s effort by going to their GoFundMe page by clicking here.

Thursday, June 8 is World Oceans Day.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes