In a significant environmental enforcement action, Ucluelet Harbour Seafood faces substantial penalties after pleading guilty to illegal wastewater discharge into the pristine waters of Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island’s west coast. The company has been ordered to pay $25,000 for violations of federal environmental regulations that threatened marine ecosystems in one of British Columbia’s most ecologically sensitive coastal areas.
Federal prosecutors confirmed Tuesday that the seafood processing facility discharged untreated effluent containing fish waste, cleaning chemicals, and processing byproducts directly into Ucluelet Harbour on multiple occasions between March and September 2024. Environmental compliance officers discovered the violations during routine monitoring that revealed contamination levels exceeding permitted thresholds by over 300 percent.
“This case represents a serious breach of environmental protections designed to safeguard our coastal waters,” said Environment Canada enforcement officer Kathryn Reynolds. “The fine reflects both the severity of the infractions and the potential ecological damage to critical marine habitat.”
The Barkley Sound ecosystem, known for its biodiversity and importance to both commercial fisheries and Indigenous food harvesting, contains sensitive eelgrass beds and serves as critical habitat for juvenile salmon, herring, and numerous marine invertebrates. Marine biologists from the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo have initiated a comprehensive study to assess potential long-term impacts from the contamination.
Of the total penalty, $20,000 will be directed to the federal Environmental Damages Fund, which supports restoration projects in affected ecosystems. The remaining $5,000 represents direct fines for violations under the Fisheries Act’s pollution prevention provisions.
Ucluelet Harbour Seafood, which employs approximately 85 local residents and processes over 4,000 tonnes of seafood annually, has issued a public statement acknowledging the violations. Company spokesperson Michael Chen stated: “We take full responsibility for these operational failures and have implemented comprehensive remedial measures, including a $1.2 million upgrade to our wastewater treatment systems and enhanced staff training protocols.”
The conviction comes amid increasing scrutiny of seafood processing operations along British Columbia’s coastline. Environmental advocacy groups have long pressed for stricter enforcement of existing regulations and more frequent inspections of industrial facilities operating in proximity to sensitive marine environments.
“While the fine is a step in the right direction, it represents less than a single day’s operational profit for a facility of this size,” noted Stephanie Williams of Pacific Coast Environmental Watch. “More robust penalties and enforcement mechanisms are essential if we’re serious about protecting our coastal ecosystems from industrial pollution.”
Local Ucluelet officials have expressed both concern about the violations and relief regarding the company’s remediation efforts. Mayor Cheryl Matthews emphasized the delicate balance between environmental protection and economic sustainability in coastal communities.
“Our community depends on both healthy marine ecosystems and sustainable industry,” Matthews said. “This situation underscores the importance of vigilant environmental oversight while supporting responsible business operations that provide essential employment in our region.”
As climate change and increasing industrial activity continue to place pressure on coastal ecosystems, this case raises important questions about the adequacy of current environmental enforcement mechanisms. With seafood processing representing a cornerstone of many coastal British Columbia economies, how can we ensure that industrial development and environmental protection work in harmony rather than opposition?
