The kayaks, intended for use by tourists, have been stowed away because of pollution caused by the dumping of offal from a nearby fish plant, owned by the Barry Group.
Mr. Keeping and his wife opened their business in 2002 after returning home from working in western Canada. At the time the plant was operating normally.
Two years later in 2004, the plant began unloading the waste product of fish in the harbour shared by his inn.
“Basically, Burgeo Harbour is a dumping ground for the Barry Group,” he said.
He, along with other residents who live close by learned from plant workers that the sudden surge of the offal accompanied by a terrible stench from the plant was the result of equipment malfunctions.
"My business is not able to grow because of this mess.” - - Dorim Keeping
People who live in the vicinity of the fish plant cannot hang their clothes on a clothesline because the stink seeps into the clothes. A simple task such as walking down the street is bothersome as well, according to Mr. Keeping.
He says since 2004, the problem still has not been fully addressed by the Department of Environment or the Barry Group.
“Nothing else can happen in Burgeo from an eco-tourism standpoint as long as this is happening. My business is not able to grow because of this mess,” he said.
Residents of the town formed the Burgeo Concerned Citizens Group to take their concerns to the provincial government.
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