1999 was a very bad year for fishkills on PEI with eight fishkills reported and investigated.

Fish Kill Investigation Continues

Wednesday, July 14, 1999

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Water, sediment, fish and plant tissue samples are currently being analyzed to determine the cause of the death of over one thousand fish found earlier this week in the Valleyfield River. Results from the tests are expected in two weeks. Due to the heavy losses of fish stocks, angling in the affected section of the river has been closed for the remainder of the 1999 angling season. This closure is in effect immediately and covers the section of the Valleyfield River below Egolf's Pond downstream to where the Valleyfield River joins the Montague River at Montague.

Officials from the Department of Technology and Environment have been on the scene investigating since Monday morning when the first dead fish were reported. "We are continuing our investigation and while results from the analysis should identify the cause of death in the fish, we are also looking into all circumstances surrounding the incident," said Bruce Raymond, Manager of the Surface Water Section.

Early findings from the investigation point to the presence of residual chemicals from nearby potato fields as a possible source of contamination in the river. There appears to have been severe landwash from nearby potato fields following heavy rain fall over the weekend and it is suspected that residual chemicals adhering to soil particles flowed into the river. Dead fish
have been discovered over a lengthy portion of the Valleyfield River, starting in the Heatherdale area, and continuing to head of tide in Montague.

"Once our investigation is complete and the sample analysis available, a full report on the incident will be released," noted Mr. Raymond.

Hammill Expresses Concern over Fishkills

Thursday, July 22, 1999

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Agriculture and Forestry Minister Eric Hammill today expressed major concerns over the number of recent fishkills in Prince Edward Island streams, and said action is being taken to help prevent similar incidences.

"This is a very significant problem and we are taking it very, very seriously," said Mr. Hammill. "I want to make it perfectly clear that this is totally unacceptable, and government and industry are taking steps to address the problem."

The minister said government and industry have been working closely together to protect Island watercourses. He said measures such as the establishment of the new Agriculture and Environmental Conservation program, the Environmental Farm Plan program, and the hiring of an Integrated Pest Management specialist to work with the industry in support of its goal to reduce pesticide use, along with a greater recognition among producers of the importance of soil conservation, are all steps in the right direction. "The implementation of the new buffer zone legislation in the next
crop year will also result in better protection to fish and wildlife habit," he said, while acknowledging that more must be done now to deal with problem.

Mr. Hammill said that during a meeting with Technology and Environment Minister Mitch Murphy this week, Ministers directed that an action plan be developed involving both levels of government and the industry. He said further details will be announced in the near future.

Action Plan Responds to Fishkills

Monday, July 26, 1999

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Ministers of the Department of Technology and Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry today announced an action plan to both understand the facts of recent fish kills in several Island streams and identify the steps required to reduce the risk to aquatic life.

Ministers Mitch Murphy and Eric Hammill identified a five-point plan which acknowledges that runoff containing agricultural pesticides was likely the source of the recent fish mortalities.

"Island farmers and our government have both recognized the necessity of establishing sustainable production systems for all agricultural products. The fish kills of last week are completely unacceptable to everyone, so we must find solutions," said Mr. Hammill.

The five-point plan includes:

1. Completing a detailed assessment of the circumstances around each fish kill and identifying common factors and causal agents.

2. Identifying agronomic practices which were successful in preventing watercourse contamination during heavy rainfall events.

3. Identifying and recommending crop protection products with low toxicity to reduce risk to aquatic life.

4. Utilizing the Department of Agriculture & Forestry's geographic information system (GIS) to identify high-risk watersheds and establish specific plans for protection of aquatic life.

5. Establishing a joint Action Committee consisting of industry and provincial and federal government representatives to oversee the work and ensure implementation. The committee includes Scott Howatt and John Phillips, Potato Producers Association; Mette Ching, Federation of Agriculture; Alan Rennie, Soil and Crop Improvement Association; David Thompson, Crop Protection Institute of Canada; Ralph Yeo, Farm Practices Review Board; Christiane DesLaurier, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Peter Johnson, Environment Canada; Gordon Fairchild, Eastern Canada Soil and Water Conservation Centre; Claire Franklin, Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency; and Richard Veinot, Clair Murphy and George Trainor representing the provincial departments of agriculture, environment and transportation respectively.

The Action Committee will be chaired by Dr. Carl Willis, chair of the Province's Pesticides Advisory Committee. He is the former director of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centre in Charlottetown.

"I am very pleased with the response we have had from industry and government agencies in agreeing to support immediate work on this problem," said Mr. Murphy. "The buffer zone legislation and the Agriculture and Environmental Resource Conservation Program are steps in the right direction, but we need to understand the factors leading to these fish mortalities so we don't miss any necessary step."

Work to implement the Action Plan will begin immediately. The Committee will meet on Friday of this week.

Toxic Ammounts of Pesticides Found in Lord's Pond in Tryon River

Tuesday, August 3, 1999

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Initial results have been received on samples collected during the investigation into fish kills in both the Tryon and Westmoreland River systems. Results from the Atlantic Veterinary College indicate that the sudden death of the fish is consistent with a toxic insult to the fish, and dissolved oxygen and temperature were not believed to be a significant factor.

"Examination of the fish from both sites by the Atlantic Veterinary College indicates that the fish appeared healthy prior to death," said Mitch Murphy, Minister of Technology and Environment.

In Tryon, a number of water and sediment samples were collected and preliminary results indicate the presence of azinphos methyl and carbofuran in water samples from Lord's Pond. Azinphos methyl was found at concentrations that would be considered toxic to fish, while carbofuran
concentrations were below aquatic water quality guideline values. Azinphos methyl was also found at toxic concentrations in a pool of standing water collected from a washout gully below a potato field located at the origin of the fish kill. Pesticides were not detected in the preliminary analysis of water or sediment samples from a pool of standing water located a short distance
upstream from the suspected field.

In the Westmoreland River, four pesticide products were detected in a standing water sample taken from a gully that was created as a result of runoff from a suspected field. The four products detected were carbofuran, chlorothalonil, endosulfan and metribuzin. Chlorothalonil, endosulfan and carbofuran were all above aquatic water quality guideline values. Chlorothalonil and azinphos methyl were also detected in sediment samples collected during the Westmoreland investigation.

During the investigations, farmers in the affected areas have cooperated fully, and all of the pesticides that were detected in the samples were reported to be used by the farmers.

In the Westmoreland River, stream water samples were not analysed as there had been a significant time lapse between the likely timing of the fish kill and the time the Department of Technology and Environment became aware of the kill.

"The only way to get really good test results is to get samples as soon as possible when there is a fish kill," added Murphy. "I would encourage anyone noticing a number of dead fish to notify the Department's Environmental Emergency Response number at 1-800-565-1633, which is printed in the front of the Telephone Directory."

Additional test results from the various fish kill investigations are expected by late next week.