The Salmon Preservation Association for the Waters of Newfoundland (SPAWN) is not too concerned that an oil spill in the Corner Brook Stream and Glynmill Inn Pond on Monday will impact fish stocks in the stream.
About three litres of lubricating oil were spilled into the water from Corner Brook Pulp and Paper’s Watson’s Brook generating station.
Keith Piercey, editor of the SPAWNER Magazine, went over to the area when he heard of the spill.
From what he saw he doubts it will have any impact on the salmon and trout that are found in the stream.
“It was very miniscule anyway,” he said and added the fish have already spawned for the year.
However, if it was bigger with big blobs of oil going to the bottom and affecting the water, Piercey said it would be different.
“It’s not something anybody wants to see or something anybody wants to happen.”
Piercey said two people who had been walking in area saw the oil in the water and reported it.
“It just goes to show there’s a lot of concern and everybody acted in the right way to take care of it.”
As for the cleanup effort, he was impressed with what he saw.
“If there’s one good thing come out of all of this it’s the fact that right from the time it was reported, and it went on and on and unfolded, all the people who got involved did some job.
“They did what they could,” said Piercey.
The Western Star reached out to Corner Brook Pulp and Paper and its parent company for comment on the spill, but received no reply as of press time.
According to an emailed statement from Service NL, Environment Canada’s National Environmental Emergencies Centre notified them that Corner Brook Pulp and Paper had reported the spill.
Service NL investigates such reports under a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment and advises on how the spill should be remediated.
The statement, issued late Tuesday afternoon said Service NL is investigating the appearance of a rainbow-coloured sheen in the water downstream from the generating station that appears to be related to this spill. It says the results of the investigation will determine the next steps for remediation.
A spokesperson for the department could not confirm if the remediation had been completed.
