Geo Engineering off Canada's West Coast (Haida Gwaii)

[GostHacked]

www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/10/15/bc-iron-sulfate-dumping-haida-gwaii.html

We are hearing about this project now and it took place in July of 2012. 100 tonnes of iron sulphate particles were 'sprinkled' into the ocean to promote plankton growth. However looking at the two people who put this project into motion has had resistance elsewhere and one of these guys are banned from several countries for something similar.

John Disney was a person who brought us a now defunct company called 'Plakntos'. This turned into something called the Haida Salmon Restoration Project. Somehow he convinced the small community to approve of a 2.5 million dollar project to dump the iron sulphates in the Pacific Ocean .. This was the 14th experiment and the largest of it's kind to take place.

Approved by Environment Canada and other Canadian and BC governments. Also seems to be sanctioned by the UN. Based on a slight terminology change. Instead of a ban on this kind of stuff, the language has been change to 'taking precautionary measures'.

An experimental project in which 100 tonnes of an iron-rich dirt-like material were dumped into the ocean off B.C.'s north coast is sparking controversy.

The fine brown material was dumped about 300 kilometres west of the islands of Haida Gwaii in a process called ocean fertilization.

The $2-million project, initiated by the Haida Salmon Restoration Corp., is intended to raise nutrient levels offshore in hopes of reviving salmon populations, according to corporation president John Disney.

Disney said earlier reports that iron sulphate was used in the dump were incorrect, and that a finely ground dirt-like substance with trace amounts of iron was actually used.

"The results were just spectacular, like we created life where there wasn't life," Disney said.

The dumping created a bloom of phyto-plankton, plants at the base of the food chain that are eaten by other creatures.

Theoretically, it could also help pull carbon dioxide, responsible for climate change, out of the atmosphere.

Much of this is being done to try and bring fish stocks back to the west coast of Canada. Since the UN is pushing sustainable resourcing all over the place, it's funny that the stocks need to be brought back to a certain level in order to be sustainable and that is not even guaranteed.

Oceanographer says process 'scares me'

“It scares me,” said Maite Maldonado, a biological oceanographer at the University of B.C. who specializes in the impact of trace minerals on ocean life.

"If you have a massive bloom or growth of this microscopic algae, you might not have enough oxygen in the water column at certain depths."

Maldonado said the process could have effects that are the reverse of those intended, as the lack of oxygen could potentially create toxic, lifeless waters.

The project is 100 times larger than any of the previous experiments in iron fertilization, she said.

http://www.globaltvbc.com/geoengineering+experiment+off+bc+coast+called+blatant+violation+of+un+rules/6442734635/story.html

VANCOUVER - A private company has conducted what is being described as the world’s biggest geoengineering experiment off Canada’s west coast, dumping tonnes of iron into the ocean that may have triggered an artificial plankton bloom up to 10,000 square kilometres in size.

The experiment, which critics say is a ”blatant violation” of United Nations rules, involves controversial Californian businessman Russ George who teamed up with a First Nations village on Haida Gwaii to establish the Haida Salmon Restoration Corporation to run the project.

Environment Canada said Monday it is aware of “the incident,” which is reported to have entailed dumping 100 tonnes of iron sulphate into the sea in a scheme to enhance both plankton and salmon and generate lucrative carbon credits.

Also what would be interesting to note, that the Canadian government has reduced it's departments in resource management. Oceans and fisheries was one group that saw some major cuts. Wise? not sure.

[The_Squid]

This sounds like a really stupid experiment.

I'm shocked that the Haida would involve themselves in such a thing. I think they (and us) may have been relieved of a few million tax dollars for no return, at best. At worst, it may have detrimental effects on our environment..

[jacee]

What tax dollars?

It said it's a private company.

[login]

I think the move was good but monitoring over the mid term will be needed. So far all we see is benefits from the action. What I think our brain power should go to is methods to offset algae bloom should it become too large. Afterall if we can make bloom we can stop bloom.

At th every least this probably counter acted the exon valdez damages to the region.

This is benefiting the fisheries, the east coast could use an ounce of this too.

We should be thanking the first nations for this not attacking them.

Its not like the oceans arn't warming due to climate change and the melting of the polar ice caps anyway.

What we could see here is just what the whole planet will see as a result of climate change.

Also the key point here is it was done in "international waters"

Must also note that indeed legitimate research is ongoing on the project and this would exempt it from the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (EPA 1999).

Its not like the Canadian government has Environmental Scientists to do this work on its own.

Edited October 19, 2012 by login

[Argus]

From what I understand this was not approved by any governmental agency. It was done by a privately operated outfit and has all sorts of potential dangers. It might help, or it might completely destroy the area's environment.

The experiment took place this summer, apparently without sanction from any official body. There have been widespread expressions of concern from scientists, who fear the experiment could backfire, and political leaders, who are concerned international agreements banning ocean fertilization have been violated.

“Environment Canada did not approve this non-scientific event. Enforcement officers are now investigating,” Environment Minister Peter Kent said in Parliament on Thursday. “This government takes very seriously our commitment to protect the environment and anyone who contravenes environmental law should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/businessman-russ-george-defends-experiment-seeding-pacific-with-iron-sulphate/article4622528/

[eyeball]

It's the thought that counts. It's so guerilla I'm afraid I have to support the effort on general anarchistic principles alone.

I doubt they could worse than the scientists Harper subscribes to.