Do not treat tsunami debris like souvenirs: Tofino mayor

TOFINO (NEWS1130) – Debris from the Japanese Tsunami is washing up on BC shores earlier than anticipated – just in time for the summer travel season.

The mayor of Tofino is urging tourists to respect debris they find on the town’s beaches.

Mayor Perry Schmunk says “No” there won’t be a huge volume of tsunami debris on his town’s beaches, but he says “Yes”, tourists will come across things like construction helmets, shampoo bottles and household items from Japan.
    
Schmunk says he’s heard of people beachcombing for these things and he says they should think about returning items before thinking about keeping them.

“The emotional scars tied to the event run very deep.  Therefore, there’s a deep emotional connection to this material.”

Schmunk says it’s important to treat recovered items nicely, “if you do come across it, treat it with respect and take the steps necessary to give it back to the people involved.”

The community will be doing what they can to return lost items to their rightful owners. Found items should be dropped off at the Tofino municipal office or the maritime museum.

Schmunk says cleanup efforts will be launched in coming weeks, one example is the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which is now looking for volunteers.

Last week a Harley-Davidson motorcycle washed up on a remote BC beach, and is now being shipped back to the bike’s rightful owner in Japan.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Coast Guard sank an unmanned fishing boat because it was a hazard to shipping and to the coastline.