Prince Edward Island dairy company is facing a $50,000 fine after a liquid manure spill killed hundreds of brook trout and forced the closure of a shellfish harvesting area.
Environment Canada says in a news release today that Nobra Holsteins Inc. was fined after pleading guilty to one count of violating a subsection of the Fisheries Act for the June 2020 spill in Irishtown, P.E.I.
Department and provincial conservation officers responded to the spill by collecting dead brook trout and water samples, which showed ammonia concentrations and pH levels that were found to be lethal to the previously healthy fish.
The spill killed 530 brook trout in a 2.5-kilometre section of a river, forced the closure of shellfish harvesting areas from June until September 2020 and stopped recreational activities in the area until December 2021.
The agency says the investigation found the spill was caused by a rupture in a transfer hose meant to move manure over a long distance, and Nobra Holsteins failed to do its due diligence in preventing the incident.
The investigation also revealed the system was improperly installed and inspected before it began pumping manure and it was placed in a high-risk area on provincial government property without proper approval.
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