Inuvik (June 06/03) - A goose hunter spotted a fuel spill in the Mackenzie Delta and sent environmental officers scrambling to work Sunday morning.

A fuel spill was reported Sunday in the Oniak Channel, about 40 miles northwest of Inuvik. Two barges owned by NTCL were boomed off while the shipping company searched for the leak. - Terry Halifax/NNSL photo

Fuel floating on the water in the Oniak Channel 80 kilometre north of Inuvik was reported where the Northern Transportation Company Limited (NTCL) moored four barges for the winter.

"We received a report Sunday morning that there was a petroleum product spilled," said company president Clifford Abraham. "We immediately made arrangements to get our people out there to take a look."

He said authorities were notified and at press time they were still trying to determine the source of the spill and what was spilled.

NTCL boomed off two of the barges wintered in the channel.

The two barges can hold a total of 2,500 tonnes of diesel fuel.

"As far as we could tell, there hasn't been any leakage from the barge," he said. "There was activity over the winter around the barge with trucks and mobile equipment."

Abraham said the early reports have not identified how much was spilled or what the petroleum product was.

"It's very hard to tell with fuel on water, because a very small amount spreads out and appears to be covering an extensive area," Abraham said.

"The volume estimate might be in the order of 20 litres."

NTCL boomed off the area and mopped up what was floating on the surface near the area by Tuesday afternoon.

"We're making every effort we can to contain and cleanup whatever is there," Abraham said.

Fisheries and Oceans and Indian and Northern Development had officials on site checking the spill.

Neither department could comment as of press time.