MV Miner cleanup on hold while Cape Breton lobster fishery underway
Group says regulations should prevent ships from being towed without adequate bonds, insurance
Cape Breton fishermen say they're relieved the cleanup of the MV Miner is being put on hold while lobster season is underway.
Work to remove the ship, which ran aground off Scaterie Island in 2011 while being towed from Montreal to Turkey to be scrapped, is nearly completed.
But to prevent any potential interference with the busy lobster harvest, that work has been put on hold.
Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan agreed.
"There's no question that the logistics of moving the camps, the equipment, those kinds of things from Scaterie to the mainland will probably have to wait."
Fishermen in the area feel removing the MV Miner will help them protect their lobster's reputation.
"We have a brand of lobster that is very popular and widely know as being some of the best in eastern North America, if not the world. It's good for our brand if we can promote the waters clean and everything is done effectively," Ian Forgeron said at the Main-A-Dieu wharf.
"It will be nice to see it gone, they spend a lot of money moving it out of there. It will be nice when they complete the project. "
A local community group says the government needs to review the case and change federal regulations
"But never again should these ships be towed without adequate bond and insurance. There was no due process what so ever," said Sean Howard of Main-a-Dieu Development.
The cleanup of the work site on Scaterie Island will continue when lobster season ends.