http://phys.org/news/2012-10-canadian-knew-sea-fertilizing.html
Organizers of a controversial ocean fertilization project off Canada's west coast said officials knew of the undertaking but did not stop it, and that it violated no laws. The project, carried out by a small aboriginal village together with US businessman Russ George, involved used a fishing boat to scatter 120 tonnes of iron sulphate last August into the Pacific Ocean west of Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off British Columbia. The move was criticized by environmentalists, aboriginal groups and scientists for violating an international ban on ocean fertilization. It was even cited at this week's meeting of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad, India. The government has denied any involvement and on Thursday a spokesman for Environment Minister Peter Kent said an investigation into the matter had been launched on August 30. Adam Sweet told AFP federal officials met project organizers last May and told them "any iron ore deposit in waters, whether inside or outside the Canadian (200 nautical miles) limit, constitutes a violation of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act," unless it is for the purpose of legitimate research. One of the organizers, John Disney of the Village of Old Massett, insisted organizers followed international legal and scientific protocols, and that at least seven Canadian federal agencies knew of their plan. <more>
