News
South Coast Ship Watch Alliance welcomes “Ruxton Anchorage Watch”
We are pleased to announce that a new group of concerned citizens is joining us in our efforts to end the use of commercial freighter anchorages in the Southern Gulf Island waters. Ruxton is one of the De Courcy Group of Islands...
Coastal community stakeholders seek firm targets from government to eliminate Southern Gulf Islands Industrial Anchorages
The South Coast Ship Watch Alliance has concerns regarding a recent Transport Canada pre-election announcement regarding marine vessel traffic management. The Alliance and other stakeholders have been seeking closure of the 33...
New Federal Budget 2021: What does it mean for Ocean Protection?
$17.6 billion was allocated to green recovery, including marine conservation.The federal government made a public commitment to protect 25% of Canada’sland and ocean by 2025, and lead globally to ensure 30% protection of the...
In Memory of Chris Straw
Our South Coast Ship Watch Alliance has lost a most dedicated and passionate advocate in our efforts to protect this special place. Just a short month ago, Chris Straw died in a tragic construction accident on Gabriola Island, a place...
Investigation into freighter collision reveals ongoing dangers Southern Gulf Islands
The results from a Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation are in. On March 30, 2020 a 200 metre cargo ship dragged anchor in high winds and collided with another ship in Plumper Sound (between Mayne, Saturna and Pender...
New bill would prohibit freighters from anchoring around Vancouver Island
Alistair MacGregor, MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, has put forth a bill to amend the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to prohibit the anchoring of freighter vessels using coastal waters along the Southern Strait of Georgia. “In the absence...
New petition in the House of Commons
Paul Manly, the Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Ladysmith, and member of Green Party of Canada has put forward this new Petition in the House of Commons calling on the government to: 1. Eliminate the 33 commercial anchorages...
Updated: Nightmare continues in Plumper Sound
Here we go again. For people living close to the water on Pender, Mayne and Saturna Islands, it’s a recurring nightmare. The sheltered area, known as Plumper Sound, is a picturesque and ecologically rich body of water in the Southwest...
A sight for tired eyes: Thetis residents surrounded by freighters in recent weeks
The rural Southern Gulf Islands used to be a place where residents and visitors could escape the city and have a peaceful nights rest. In the past few years, these islands which laid between open waters, have become a floating...
Record number of ships at anchor in SGI: How you can report your concerns
There has been a dramatic increase in large commercial freighters anchoring close to homes and environmentally sensitive areas in in the Southern Gulf Islands and South East Coast of Vancouver Island. The backlog of ships waiting to...
Watch: Underwater treasures threatened by giant anchor chains
As part of our ongoing efforts to understand what kinds of marine life are being be affected by freighters parking in the Southern Gulf Islands, a group of local volunteers raised enough money for a dive team. They explored an area...
Chamber of Shipping gives National Anchorage Initiative a failing grade
The leading voice for the shipping industry in Canada just panned Transport Canada’s plan to deal with freighter anchorages. The Chamber of Shipping issued a “report card” this week on Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) which...
