On July 16, 2019, Kirby Offshore Marine Operating LLC pled
guilty to three charges of violating the Fisheries Act,
Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and the Pilotage
Act and received fines totally $2.9 million dollars.
On October 13, 2016, the tugboat Nathan E. Stewart ran
aground at Edge Reef near Bella Bella, British Columbia, resulting
in the release of approximately 107,552 litres (28,412 gallons) of
diesel fuel and 2,240 litres (591 gallons) of lubricants). Both
substances are considered deleterious to fish and migratory birds.
Kirby Offshore Marine Operating LLC was the owner of the Nathan
E. Stewart. The tug boat was travelling from Ketchikan, Alaska
to Vancouver, British Columbia. The documents from the
Transportation Safety Board showed that salvage divers attempted to
stop the diesel oil in the tug and from leaking into the
surrounding waters and removed approximately 119,000 litres of
diesel oil and lubricants. Shoreline clean-up and
