Vancouver- A Surrey company has been fined under the Fisheries Act after pleading guilty to depositing a deleterious substance into a tributary of the Serpentine River, Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced today.

On January 23, 2001, fishery officers received information that the construction of two exposed aggregate driveways were resulting in concrete wash water entering a storm drain that leads into a tributary of the Serpentine River. The Serpentine River supports runs of chinook, chum, and coho salmon as well as cutthroat, steelhead, and rainbow trout.

An investigation determined that the concrete wash water had a very high pH, which is extremely toxic to juvenile salmonids that were present in the stream. Charges were subsequently laid against Pro Touch Concrete, the company that was engaged in the driveway construction.

On November 29, 2002, in Surrey provincial court, Ajit Singh Tiwana the owner of Pro Touch Concrete, was fined $4,500. Of the fine monies, $4,000 will be directed to promote containment and spill prevention education of concrete wash water in the concrete pumping industry.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada would like to remind the public that damaging and polluting fish and fish habitat are violations of the Fisheries Act. Persons wishing to pour concrete near waters leading to or containing fish and fish habitat need to ensure that spill prevention and containment measures are in place to prevent concrete wash water from entering the aquatic environment.

The Department is concerned about the protection of fish and fish habitat and asks for assistance from the public in reporting fisheries related violations. Please call the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record and Report line at 1-800-465-4336.

Contacts:

Scott Keehn
Fishery Officer
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region
(604) 666-8590