Crews on spill response boats work around the bulk carrier cargo ship Marathassa after a bunker fuel spill on Burrard Inlet in Vancouver on April 9. The federal coast guard is defending its response to an oil spill in Vancouver's harbour amid questions about how the slick washed up on beaches to the north.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
Some of Vancouver's most popular beaches are safe to use again after an oil spill 10 days ago, but two in the harbour remain under health advisories as do several in West Vancouver, according to authorities.
The Coast Guard and Vancouver Coastal Health announced Sunday that English Bay, Sunset Beach, Second Beach and Third Beach are all safe to use but Crab Park and New Brighton Park beaches remain under health cautions.
The Coast Guard said in a statement the advisories that remain in place "will be lifted pending the results of visual inspections and test sample results."
Health advisories have been lifted on all beaches where lab analyses of water and beach samples have confirmed there are no harmful levels of oil present.
"However, beachgoers are cautioned to remain vigilant and avoid contact with any small amounts of remaining oil," the Coast Guard statement said.
Beaches around Stanley Park, in the inner harbour and along West Vancouver's shoreline became polluted after the Marathassa, a freighter at anchor in English Bay, accidentally discharged an estimated 2,700 litres of bunker fuel on April 8.
The Western Canada Marine Response Corp., under direction of the Coast Guard, deployed six vessels, more than 1,000 metres of containment booms and 35 personnel to clean up the spill.
The Coast Guard has been criticized for being slow to initially respond to the spill, but federal government officials have said it met world standards and 80 per cent of the fuel was recovered within 20 hours. Some oil did get ashore, however, leading to advisories because of health concerns.
The Coast Guard statement said responders are continuing to conduct inspections on 16 beaches, looking for any signs of oil.
"It is expected that several of these beaches will be 'released' from cleanup. When a beach is 'released' it means Unified Command has determined that any further cleaning would cause more harm than good," the statement said.
The Coast Guard statement said there is no visible oil on the surface of the water and all observed tar balls have been removed "to the extent feasible" from public-access beaches, but cautioned that more oil may surface and drift ashore.
"Particles of oil may continue to appear in intertidal zones over the coming weeks. This is part of the natural ecosystem recovery and these will dissipate through ongoing tidal cycles," the Coast Guard statement said.
In another sign of recovery, Focus Wildlife announced Sunday it was releasing three birds that came in for treatment after the spill.
Focus Wildlife founder Chris Battaglia said four oiled birds that were "not able to fly or swim" were rescued after the spill.
One had to be euthanized, but two buffleheads and one widgeon were recovered and by Sunday were strong enough to be released.
There were a number of estimates of how many birds were affected by the spill, but Mr. Battaglia said it is thought just 15 birds became oiled, although not all of them could be caught. He said by Sunday, the beaches and water were clean enough to safely release the captured birds.
"I know there has been criticism, but they did a great job of cleaning up," he said of the oil-spill response team.
"Jericho [where the birds were released] looks absolutely pristine."
But Ramona de Graaf, a marine biologist and executive director of Sea Watch Society, said she remains concerned about the impact of the spill on small forage fish, such as surf smelt, that spawn on beaches around English Bay.
Ms. de Graaf said she is assessing the beaches this week and in the meantime has called on the department of Fisheries and Oceans to close fishing for surf smelt until a full assessment of the impact of the spill on forage fish in known.
Mark Hume