Canada prosecutes marine polluters

The Government of Canada is committed to protecting its marine wildlife and ocean environment and will not tolerate the illegal discharge of oil, oily substances or other toxic substances in Canadian waters.

All crew members must be made aware of the consequences of illegally releasing oil or other toxic substances into Canadian waters, including:

• the devastating effects on marine wildlife
• the possibility of stiff fines and imprisonment
• the publication of the names of vessels and individual crew members that have been successfully prosecuted

Vessels entering Canadian waters, including the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, are closely monitored by aerial surveillance, patrol vessels, satellite imaging and port state control inspections.

Vessels suspected of illegally releasing oil, or other toxic substances into the marine environment, can be detained for investigation and can be prosecuted under Canadian laws.

Vessel owners, operators or individual crew members who are found guilty under Canadian laws can be fined up to $1 million and imprisoned for up to three years.

It is in the interest of ship owners to handle waste according to approved standards and in an environmentally friendly manner by:

• processing oily water through an oily water separator
• transferring waste to an approved waste reception facility ashore
• incinerating waste on board in accordance with approved operational procedures