In late June, the coast guard imposed its first fine under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, a 2019 law that empowers authorities to penalize owners of boats that are hazardous to marine environments and public safety.

The owner of a wrecked cabin cruiser, the Akoo, which had washed ashore on Vancouver Island, was fined $15,000 after being targeted by a coast guard compliance and enforcement program established in April, said Paul Barrett, the agency’s superintendent of compliance and enforcement.

A newish law lets the government fine the owners of these derelicts, and recently they have been using it.