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December 12, 2014
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Section of Eastport breakwater collapses
New Broad Cove berthing eyed
 by Edward French  

 

     Following the collapse of a large section of the Eastport breakwater, Port Director Chris Gardner stated, "Our number one concern is to work with those who lost property, and we want to make sure the fishing community gets back to work. That's the most important thing we can do for the local economy." Along with meetings and discussions with federal and state officials and the fishing and construction industries to figure out solutions, fishermen and port officials have been acting to put in place new berthing during the two-year breakwater reconstruction period for all of the boats that used the pier. The port authority's property at Broad Cove that had been owned by the Mearl Corporation is most likely the site for a new berthing system. Funding for new berthing is still be determined.
     The National Transportation Safety Board has declared the breakwater collapse "a major maritime incident." On the day of the collapse, approximately 40 draggers and lobster boats were tied up to the finger piers in the breakwater's inner basin, after 24 boats had been moved over from the collapsed section.
     The following day, about 40 fishermen attended an emergency meeting of the harbor committee, during which the port authority and fishermen pulled together to figure out where all of the boats could be berthed. "We would have had months to figure out where the boats would go," Gardner told the fishermen, referring to the breakwater reconstruction project that is currently out to bid. "That luxury is now gone. We have to figure out where the boats will go right now." Noting that the finger piers are not designed to hold that many boats, he said, "We already have three guys who have lost boats. We can't lose any more."
     Transient boats that were at the breakwater for the scallop season would have to leave, and boat owners will only be able to have the number of spots they have been assigned. Following suggestions made by fishermen, it was agreed to put back the attenuator that had been pulled for the winter on the north side of the fish pier, which will provide some berthing. It was suggested that one of the spud barges that Cianbro Corp. in Pittsfield could provide should be anchored off the fish pier to break any waves coming from northerly or easterly directions.
     For a longer term solution that would provide better protection for the boats, it was agreed to look at installing a new float system at the Broad Cove site. The location is protected from most winds during the winter.
     Fishermen offered the use of hoists, mooring blocks and floats that they have to help out. Gardner said that the port authority would supply its floats and attenuators, but the manpower "has to be all from pitching together to do this." As soon as the meeting ended, fishermen were busy putting the plan into action. New moorings were set, and an attenuator was back on the north side of the fish pier by the following day.
     On Friday afternoon Peter Vigue, president of Cianbro, flew into Eastport to discuss providing spud barges at the Mearl site. The port authority is looking at either using Cianbro's spud barges there or installing a regular float system there with pilings and floats that it owns or that would be loaned to the port authority by area fishermen. It's estimated that the spud barge system could be set up within a week if the funding can be found. Gardner says the port authority is working with its state and federal partners to secure the monies to lease the barges.
     Since the meeting, any transient boats have left and other boats have been taken to moorings, either in Broad or Deep coves in Eastport or off the Edmunds of Pembroke boat landings. Boats also are being allowed to berth at the floats at Morrison Landing at Deep Cove. Within a day, only 13 of the approximately 40 boats were left at the breakwater's finger piers.

Bids to be opened soon
     At a special port authority board meeting on December 8, Gardner said that the plan for rebuilding the breakwater will be revised so that the inner basin float system will not be changed at this time, which should save on some of the costs. Changing the float system in the inner basin was expected to provide space for a 30% increase in the number of boats that can be berthed there. "We're trying to be overly cautious in funding until we see what the failure costs us," says Gardner.
     Gardner says the collapse points to "why the port authority has been hammering on this and pushing very, very hard" to have the breakwater replaced. After a section on the north side was repaired in 2013, the port authority had an underwater video filmed that showed the need to repair the breakwater. "The port authority has been watching it like a freaking hawk," he says. He notes that the section that gave way ironically was not the area that the port authority was most concerned about, since it had been repaired in 1994.
      This past year the port authority has been able to get a total of $13 million committed to rebuilding the breakwater, with $6 million in federal funds, $5 million in state monies and $2 million from the port authority. While the construction estimate by the engineering firm, Childs Engineering, was for $13.1 million, Gardner stresses, "We don't know if that's the number until the bids come in." He adds that the collapse is expected to increase the cost. The port authority now has reached out to the federal and state governments for additional funding assistance.
      The project to rebuild the breakwater went out to bid in early December, and Gardner says at least eight bidders have expressed an interest so far. The bids will be opened on December 23, with the bid specifications having an addendum concerning the collapse. Two changes in the specifications are that the excavation of the filled-in breakwater that was built in 1962 likely will have to be the first part of the project instead of the last. Also, the excavation may have to be from the water using a barge, instead of from the adjoining section that was built in 1985. He noted that there is still a question on whether the construction of the new pier that will be built to the east can be done from the 1985 addition. While Childs Engineering believes the excavation of the pier should be done as soon as possible, the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) wants to look further into the issue.
       Gardner believes that MDOT will issue a contract by the beginning of January and then the contractor can "get into high-gear," first stabilizing the structure. He noted that "luckily we were already into the pipeline" to get the breakwater rebuilt.
       Following the collapse, U.S. Senator Angus King stated, "The longer we wait to deal with our failing infrastructure, the more people and local economies are put at risk and that, as we saw today, is unacceptable." He said his office will continue to be in touch with MDOT and other local and state officials to see if there may be any federal assistance available to expedite the rehabilitation and replacement of the breakwater."

State agencies reach out

     At a meeting with about 30 area fishermen in Eastport on December 9, Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher and Economic and Community Development Commissioner George Gervais sought to find out their suggestions for how their needs can be met over the next two years while the breakwater is being rebuilt.
     Brian Moore of Pembroke said it was too bad that the fishermen were not allowed to just fish the entire 50-day scallop season without any closed days, so they didn't have to "babysit" their boats all winter on a mooring.
     Trisha De Graaf of the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) noted that the agency does not have the authority to provide additional days in the season. The DMR had kept a three-day-a-week season so that boats from outside the bay would be less likely to come and the local boats could fish longer in the season. Closures will be implemented when the DMR estimates that 40% of the biomass has been harvested, based both on landings and boat surveys conducted every six days. She hoped that the season could remain open for at least the first half of the split season, which ends on January 7.
     Moore also asked whether draggers could be allowed to have both their urchin and scallop drags on board, since there's no place in the bay now where the fishermen can switch drags. The fishermen had been using the hoist on the breakwater. Gardner hoped that the crane could be installed and ready to use on the fish pier in two or three weeks. Keliher said he would check with the Marine Patrol about the issue. He noted that fishermen will have to use moorings for a period of time.
     Ralph DeWitt of Eastport suggested that the finger piers be placed back in the water at the Edmunds and Pembroke boat landings, which would make it safer for fishermen and also would allow them to fuel up there. Keliher said he would speak with Department of Conservation officials about having them do that.
     During the meeting, safety issues were stressed by the fishermen. They noted several fishermen who have died or had close calls in going from a dinghy to their fishing boat, when it was tied off on a mooring. Harbor pilot Bob Peacock stated, "We've had enough people die in this bay. Here we can do something right now to take care of that."
      Earl Small of Eastport observed that he has to row out to his fishing boat in "an eight-foot bathtub" and felt it was critical that floats be put in at the Broad Cove location so that fishermen could access their skiffs to get to their moorings.
      Fishermen also pointed to the difficulties they face without being able to use the breakwater. For lobster fishermen, they will have to get their boat at its mooring, bring it to the fish pier to load traps and bait and then go back to where their boat was moored. Unlike fishing towns that have a cooperative where fishermen sell their catch, Moore said, "The breakwater is the buying station." There aren't any smaller piers, so "everybody fishes out of the breakwater." If 10 lobster boats start fishing this summer from the Robbinston boat landing, he expects that it would create friction with recreational users at the public landing. "It will put more pressure on those facilities."
     Keliher said the state will look at how fishermen can have a place for dealing with their gear and catches. He said, "We will do all we can to help Eastport" with funding to minimize the disruption during the two-year construction period.
The economic importance of the fisheries also was emphasized. Gardner noted that the industry is "a huge part of the economic machine. We don't have much else in Washington County." He points out that the economic value of just the fishing fleet that uses the breakwater, not including cruise ships and recreational users, is $30 million to $40 million a year. Also, Eastport can no longer serve as the harbor of refuge during a storm, as previously boats from other areas would come to safely ride out strong winds.
      According to Gardner, it will be at least two years before the breakwater can be used again for berthing boats, "so we need to think long-term," in figuring out a solution.
      Along with the Broad Cove suggestion, those at the meeting also considered other options, including using the funding that the City of Eastport has received for a new boat launch at Deep Cove. Fishermen, though, observed that the location is exposed to northwest winds in the winter and lacks parking space.
     Before the meeting ended, Keliher stated that it seemed as though placing a float system at Broad Cove is the best solution.

December 12, 2014     (Home)     

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