The Courtenay-Alberni MP says Vancouver Island is B次元官网网址榞round zeroB次元官网网址� of the ocean plastics crisis.

MP Gord Johns hosted a World Oceans Day at Parksville Community Park beach Friday (June 8) with a theme of issues surrounding ocean plastics. Roughly 40 people turned out for a beach clean up that was followed by a discussion with stakeholders and volunteers.

The discussion included Johns, Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP Sheila Malcolmson who spoke briefly on her abandoned vessels bill, members of Ocean Legacy, Communities Protecting our Coast, Tbuck Suzuki, Calyoquot Cleanup, Surfrider Foundation Canada, West Coast Aquatic, Denman Island Marine Stewards, Ucluelet Aquarium and Vancouver Aquarium.

While the beach clean up turned up a slection of garbage such as single-use plastics, styrofoam, cigarette butts and more, Johns said the Parksville beach wasnB次元官网网址檛 as bad as some others heB次元官网网址檚 seen.

B次元官网网址淭his beach is pretty much clean because of the stewardship of the community,B次元官网网址� Johns said.

But he said what was found could have been prevented.

The theme for the Parksville World Oceans Day event was ocean plastics and the leadership taking place on Vancouver Island to address those issues.

B次元官网网址淲e know how serious it is here on Vancouver Island, especially on the west coast of the Island. ItB次元官网网址檚 mind-boggling when you see the amount of plastics thatB次元官网网址檚 on our beaches.B次元官网网址�

While a lot of discussions regarding ocean plastics and marine debris are taking place on the Island, Johns said itB次元官网网址檚 being noticed elsewhere such as Ottawa and it will be part of the discussions at the G7 meeting. He also said the Regional District of NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 marine litter resolution B次元官网网址減assed at almost 95 per cent supportB次元官网网址� at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference June 1-3 in Halifax.

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B次元官网网址淭hat motion mirrors our (national ocean plastics) motion, so it shows again B次元官网网址� just like the Silver King B次元官网网址� local government with federal leaders, Vancouver Islanders standing in solidarity, saying B次元官网网址楾his is important,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Johns, referring to the previous derelict vessels issue in Deep Bay, specifically the 100-foot Silver King.

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