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