Dear editor,

The accompanying photo shows the Baynes Sound shellfish industry garbage collected over a weekend in early January by three members of my family from the shores of Henry Bay (northwest end of Denman Island) and the south side of Tree Island (Sandy Island Provincial Park).

The garbage includes the ubiquitous blue rope, aquaculture trays, barrels, sacks, nets, floats (Island Scallops) and a garbage can lid (Property of BC Shellfish Growers Association). 

The B.C. mining and forestry industries realize that environmental responsibility is one of the costs of doing business.

A food-based industry dependent on the marine environment and a positive image should be especially considerate of its responsibility to the environment. It needs to get serious about the removal of its debris from our beaches.  Peter Mason,

Courtenay