Vancouver Island tsunami debris in danger of being pulled back to sea

Volunteers with Living Oceans Society have collected five-tonnes of debris from some of B.C.'s most pristine shoreline, but have endured a few nervous weeks waiting to get the materials hauled away to be recycled.

The environmental group and 20 volunteers spent two weeks in late August and early September collecting the debris from Cape Scott, Lanz and Cox Islands Provincial Parks, Lowrie Bay, Sea Otter Cove and San Josef Bay in Cape Scott Provincial Park.

In a release, the society says most of the debris has manufacturer's marks or labels from Japan, meaning it is most likely flotsam and jetsam washed to sea by the 2011 Tohoku tsunami.

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Over the Labour Day weekend, poor weather hampered the society's efforts to have the bagged-debris hauled away by helicopter.

What's more, the expense of doing this is turning out to be beyond the reach of the non-profit organization.

"The additional helicopter time and haulage that we'll need weren't in the initial budget," said Karen Wristen, Living Ocean's executive director. "We managed to bring in 2.8 tonnes of mostly plastic debris, but I estimate there's at least as much still out there waiting to be picked up."

Wristen is concerned that storm surges or high winter tides will push some of the bagged debris back out into the ocean, making it a hazard to for vessels navigating the waters off North Vancouver Island, but also wildlife.

However, a solution appears to be at hand as West Coast Helicopters is planning to fly a team of three volunteers to the site this morning to gather and long-line the remaining debris out.

Fraction of debris

"It's just a fraction of what's out there," said Mike Aldersey, a pilot and vice-manager with the company. "We're glad to help out if we can."

While West Coast Helicopters will donate some of its time and resources, it can't do the trip for free.

Living Oceans Society has been frantically trying to raise funds — more than $5,000 is needed to remove the debris — and this one trip is a small fraction of what's required.

"The magnitude of this problem is overwhelming," said Wristen.

"Debris is washing up in some of the most productive habitat in the province for marine life and seabirds and removing it is costly. Volunteer efforts such as that mounted by Living Oceans are expensive, but far more cost effective than any other option."

The debris picked up this weekend will be flown to the trail-head at Cape Scott Provincial Park where trucks will then haul it to the landfill in Port McNeill where most of it should be recycled.