Responders have mitigated pollution threat of F/V Akutan, Coast Guard says

Six days after forming an emergency response team, officials have suspended their efforts aboard a disabled fishing vessel in Unalaska.

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Coast Guard Petty Officer John-Paul Rios said responders have removed almost 16,000 gallons of oil and sludge from the F/V Akutan, which is moored in Captains Bay.

“The main thing we were trying to do was insure there was no major pollution incident,” Rios said. “At this time, we feel confident that we’ve mitigated any kind of imminent threat of pollution.”

Rios said it’s still unclear what will happen to the floating processor in the long term.

There are 130,000 pounds of frozen sockeye onboard, following the Akutan’s failed salmon season in Bristol Bay.

“As far as the ownership or who’s responsible from here on out, I don’t necessarily have the right answers for you,” Rios said.

While responders have scaled back their operations, Rios said they’re still on the island monitoring the situation and ready to intervene again, if necessary.