Pleasant Harbor vessel incident
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Washington State Department of Ecology responded the grounding of a 60-foot former fishing vessel PC AVALON that ran aground near Pleasant Harbor in Brinnon, Washington, on September 14.
Summary information
Brinnon, WA
Status updates
September 25, 2014
The vessel owner has submitted a salvage plan to the US Coast Guard for review and approval. Today the USCG, Ecology and Washington Department of Natural Resources will discuss future removal options.
After consultation with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Ecology determined they will not be testing shellfish in Pleasant Harbor following the PC Avalon sinking Sunday, September 14.
Ecology learned from DOH Office of Shellfish and Water Protection that prior to the Avalon incident, Pleasant Harbor was permanently closed for commercial shellfish harvesting because of its close proximity to marinas.
DOH previously issued a Health Advisory to the public not to consume shellfish from Pleasant Harbor due to the presence of pollution. For more information, please contact Kelly Stowe, DOH, (360) 236-4022.
For an area map visit: https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/biotoxin/biotoxin.html.
NOAA research on seafood safety following an oil spill can be found:
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/response-tools/seafood-safety-after-oil-spill.html.
September 16, 2014
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Washington State Department of Ecology responded the grounding of a 60-foot former fishing vessel PC Avalon that ran aground near Pleasant Harbor in Brinnon, Washington, on Sunday, September 14.
The owner reported 300-500 gallons of diesel fuel was onboard the vessel. The Brinnon Fire Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s boat, and Pleasant Harbor Marina staff deployed sorbent boom to soak up spilled diesel and slow down the spread of it in the harbor.
Jefferson County dispatch notified USCG Sector Puget Sound that the 60-foot PC Avalon ran aground in Pleasant Harbor at 3:30 a.m. The grounding occurred about an hour earlier at 2:30 a.m.
The four people aboard abandoned the vessel and made it ashore to Pleasant Harbor State Park aboard a dinghy.
Members from Sector Puget Sound’s Incident Management Division along with Ecology, Global Diving and Salvage and the local fire department responded to the scene.
On Monday, September 14, Global Diving & Salvage completed removal of fuel from two tanks on the vessel and sealed the tanks. The estimated total amount recovered from the fuel tanks is 350 gal.
A curtain of oil containment boom will remain around the vessel for an undetermined length of time.
A plan for monitoring the site is being developed.
Estimated volume spilled to harbor remains at 50 to 100 gallons.
Oiled pads (in bags on tarps) are staged near shore were removed on Tuesday.
Sheen and diesel odor greatly diminished by Monday, but should still be expected for another day or two. There may be some bubbles of oil coming up from vessel inside the hard boom over the next couple of days.
The USCG continues to lead the response. Ecology will remain involved as long as needed to represent state, local and public interests.
Ecology has restocked spill supplies used by Brinnon Fire Department and Pleasant Harbor Marina in responding to the PC Avalon.
Remaining issues include removal of the PC Avalon. The owner wants to attempt removing the vessel. A plan must be submitted and approved by USCG before proceeding.
There may be impacts to nearby private shellfish beds, however commercial harvest of shellfish within Pleasant Harbor has been prohibited for some time according to the Washington Department of Health.
Anyone wishing to find more information on seafood safety after an oil spill is encouraged to visit NOAA’s website at: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/oil-and-chemical-spills/oil-spills/response-tools/seafood-safety-after-oil-spill.html.