Between 7,000 and 8,000 litres of diesel spilled at a fish farm near Zeballos, on Vancouver Island on Dec. 14.

The Environmental Emergency Branch received a report about a fuel spill near the fish farm. The incident occurred due to human error during a fuel transfer by Grieg Seafood. The fuel transfer operation was occurring on a floating concrete platform at the time.

According to an incident report from the province, Grieg and Strategic Natural Resource Consultants were on the water following the spill and deployed an absorbent boom around the spill site. However, Strategic, who is the Qualified Environmental Professional for the incident, reported that they were unable to find any recoverable diesel on the water.

A provincial team was deployed on Dec. 15, where they did on-water and aerial surveillance with representatives from Grieg Seafood and from Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations.

"From those surveillances, visible sheen has been identified North and West towards Centre Island from the spill site. There is also smaller patches of observable sheen South and East towards Steamer Point," the provincial report says.

The province coordinated the response with Grieg Seafood, Strategic, the Canadian Coast Guard, representatives from the Villages of Zeballos and Tahsis, and Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations. They will be setting up an Incident Command Post to help with coordination.

An advisory for boaters to avoid the area was sent out, and the Ehattesaht First Nation issued a clam harvesting alert and closure in the Zeballos Inlet.