August 21, 2013 — Concern is growing that radioactive water from a damaged nuclear plant in Japan could affect fish in B.C.
Karla Robison, Ucluelet’s manager of environmental and emergency services, wants Ucluelet council to ask senior levels of government to support a study of chemicals in fish.
“We could work with local folks who are out fishing to get tissue samples and make sure there are no problems with the fish,” said Robison, who has led much of the on-the-ground response to earthquake debris arriving on the Island. “It’s a very, very important issue and quite frightening,” she said.
The Japanese government has acknowledged that 300 tonnes of contaminated water are pouring into the Pacific Ocean each day. On Tuesday, Tokyo Electric Power Co., operator of the crippled nuclear power plant, said that, in addition to the ongoing leak, about 270 tonnes of highly radioactive water have leaked from one of the storage tanks.
Tepco has said it does not believe that leak has reached the Pacific Ocean.
Robison wants to see an ecotoxicologist work on a study with local First Nations and is hoping funding could come from the $1 million the Japanese government gave B.C. to help with cleanup of tsunami debris.
Read the full story at the Victoria Times-Colonist