Environment Canada is launching an investigation after finding pesticides in some of the three West Prince rivers affected by major fish kills last month.
Environment Canada released preliminary results Friday after carrying out tests to determine the cause of what killed thousands of fish in three western P.E.I. rivers following localized heavy rains two weekends ago.
The decision to launch the investigation comes after traces of pesticides were found in bottom sediment in the three rivers where the kills occurred.
Those rivers were the Big Pierre Jacques River, and the Mill and Trout rivers in West Prince.
Exactly which pesticides, the amount, or whether they were found in all three rivers is unknown.
The preliminary results do not include results from tissue samples from dead fish recovered in the rivers.
"Some of those samples have come back. I can confirm that the water samples, or some of the water samples that were analyzed to date. did show pesticides in some of the areas that were affected," said Robert Robichaud, Environment Canada's environmental enforcement manager.
Robichaud said Environment Canada is still waiting for results of fish tissue samples taken from the rivers and that an investigation could lead to charges, meaning fines up of $300,000 or six months in prison.
UPEI biologist Daryl Guignion, who also serves as the university's community environmental liaison, is not involved in the investigation but was called in to assess the situation.
Because it's a complicated situation with a number of factors, including a heavy rainfall before the fish kill, Guignion said it's best not to point fingers.
"Farmers are very conscientious and they try to make sure that these things never happen," Guignion told The Guardian, pointing out that it takes just one farmer who doesn't follow rules which can often draw criticism to the whole industry.
"It gives farmers and the Island a bad image, which we don't need."
There has been a public outcry since the fish kills were discovered, which have been reported as catastrophic.
One of the most vocal has been Green Party leader Sharon Labchuk, who announced her decision to run in Environment Minister Richard Brown's district of Charlottetown - Victoria Park in the upcoming fall election only days after the fish kill was reported.
The Prince Edward Island Bait Fisher's Group has also criticized the government after learning they won't be able to fish in some of their favourite rivers for at least two years.
Also adding to the wave of criticism was the P.E.I Watershed Alliance.
Bait fishers's president Bill Warren said the group will force government to find and correct whatever is causing the fish kills, leaning towards giving tougher penalties to farmers and creating larger buffer zones if it's determined that run-off killed the fish.
Warren said he wants tougher penalties and bigger buffer zones if it's determined that pesticide run-off killed the fish.
He said making each farmer pay $20,000 a year for five years, a total of $100,000, to restock the river would be a solution.
Brown has said he will consider tougher laws, depending on the outcome of investigations. He's also said that anyone found in violation near the fish kill sites will be charged.
