Monday, March 30, 2015

BOAT SUNK OVERNIGHT CREATING A 150 GALLON DIESEL SPILL ON LAKE TASHMOO IN TISBURY, MASSACHUSETTS





MARCH 30, 2015

TISBURY, MASSACHUSETTS

Tisbury harbor officials, the shellfish warden, police and fire officials and the U.S. Coast Guard responded Monday morning to a vessel that sank in Lake Tashmoo overnight, leaving a large diesel oil sheen over much of the ecologically sensitive salt pond.

One containment boom was on the scene and ready to be deployed. — Steve Myrick Tisbury fire chief John Schilling said there are 150 gallons of diesel fuel aboard the boat. “It’s spreading down through Tashmoo,” he said.

The oil sheen had spread over several shellfish beds along the shoreline.
Tisbury shellfish constable Danielle Ewart has notified the Department of Marine Fisheries about the incident, and they have ordered the pond closed to shellfishing until further notice.

The vessel, a sport fishing boat about 30 feet long, was resting on the bottom in shallow water near the head of the pond. Only part of the cabin and the fly bridge remain above water.

The odor of diesel fuel was in the air as local fishermen deployed an emergency containment boom along the Lake street dock. The boom was stored on the scene for such an emergency.

The sunken vessel is approximately 300 yards away from the dock.

Tisbury harbor officials Jim Pepper and John Crocker responded this morning to assess the scene. At 11 a.m., Tisbury town vessels were on the way to begin the effort to contain the fuel spill. Tisbury fire officials arrived with a vessel to get to the sunken boat.

An oil spill prevention and response boat was also on the scene as officials worked on deploying other booms.

Diesel oil floats on the surface of the water, and usually quickly evaporates, so local fishermen gathered at the dock said they were hopeful that environmental damage will be limited.
Source: http://vineyardgazette.com