Derelict boat endangering pristine beach in Pacific Rim National Park

Officials with Pacific Rim National Park Reserve are trying to figure out what to do with an abandoned fishing boat that has washed up on a pristine beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The wooden boat was supposed to be scrapped in Port Alberni, but instead was resold to someone who tried to tow it to Ahousaht, just north of Tofino, B.C.

Along the way it took on too much water and ended up on the beach in Florencia Bay near Ucluelet.

Renee Wissink, manager of resource conservation for the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, says there's no fuel on board, but park officials are concerned that metal components and electronics could eventually pollute the beach or be washed out to sea.

Several agencies are working together to come up with a plan to remove the vessel, but the high cliffs that line the beach make access difficult.

"Of all of our beaches in the Long Beach unit, the Florencia one is probably the most difficult one for us to deal with a boat of this size because we have no way to get vehicles and heavy equipment on to the beach there to help remove it."

Clean-up fee proposed for boat owners

Abandoned vessels are such a problem up and down the West Coast that one municipal councillor in Saanich is calling fora feeon boat purchases or registrations to help clean up derelict vessels.

Counc.JudyBrownoff is proposing either the federal or provincial government collect a small levy on boat purchases or registrations that couldgo into a fund to help municipalities.

Brownoff is basing her proposal on a system already in place in Washington state.

Federal NDP MP SheilaMalcolmson, who represents Nanaimo-Ladysmith, has a private members' bill which aims to designatethe Coast Guard as the primary responder to derelict and abandoned vessels, but it is only in its first reading in Parliament.