Transport Canada has cracked down on safety issues on Shuswap Lake, removing several buoys and a dock which were seen as potential hazards to boaters.
After public complaints were received by various different levels of government, Transport Canada staff determined several buoys on the lake and one floating wooden dock were not compliant with regulations and were removed, states a news release from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. Owners of the buoys were given time to remove them on their own after they were tagged as non-compliant.
Buoys can be removed if they are not following the regulations regarding the correct size, colour and identification. This can be hazardous for boaters or other users of the lake. Buoys must also be affixed properly. In one case, a buoy pulled out of Shuswap Lake was attached by chain to an old car engine block.
Related: 2012 – Working towards a sustainable recreation plan
A number of the remaining tagged buoys were then pulled out of Shuswap Lake by Transport Canada officials in early October, focusing on areas of Shuswap Lake in the South Shuswap.
In Sorrento, eight buoys were removed and a total of 43 were tagged as against regulations. In Blind Bay, 22 buoys and one wooden dock were removed, with 58 buoys being tagged altogether. At Copper Island, one buoy was removed after being tagged by officials.
CSRD Board Chair Rhona Martin said the board is glad to see action taken on this long-standing issue.
“Without the help of the federal government, we would not be able to address this. It is an issue that takes a partnership of all levels of government,” she said. “The good news is that the federal government, through Transport Canada, has recognized this is a serious issue and has stepped up to address this with enforcement.”
Transport Canada is planning additional enforcement action on non-compliant buoys within the boundaries of the CSRD in 2019.
@SalmonArmnewsroom@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
