Harvesters call for permanent solution to Malpeque Harbour safety concerns

Fishing crewsbased in Malpeque onP.E.I.'s North Shorereturned to the water on Tuesday amid renewed calls to make the harbour safer.

On Monday,a mussel boat sank in the harbour and five crew members took refuge on the roof of the vessel before they were rescued.

Lobster harvester Kyle Nickerson saidthe episode, and the still stranded boat,reminded everyoneof how risky their job can be.

"You're sailing out there and see the boat right next to the buoys where you gotta sail by the sand bar It's definitely a massive safety concern that's gotta be dealt with."

People who fish these watershave been raising concerns for years that navigating the shallow channel in and out of the harbour can be dangerous, especially for boats weighed down by thousands of pounds of mussels and gear.

Boats regularly hit bottom afterhigh winds and rough waters move sand around from where it was just a day or two earlier, they say.

The crew members who ran into trouble on Monday were brought to shore by New London firefighters using the department's new rigid inflatable boat.

Alan Doucette, that rescue boat's captain, said something needs to be done to address safety once and for all.

"Rescue boats are not a permanent solution. Yesterday, even with this boat, and as well trained as we are, it was a difficult rescue because of the conditions," he said."You're dealing with current, you're dealing with changing bottoms, changing sands and it seems to be changing on a daily basis."

Relocating harbour an option

The federal government pays to dredge the channel a couple of times a year, although fishing crew memberssay it's quick to fill back in. On Tuesday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada told CBC News it is assessing options for Malpeque Harbour.

'Something's got to be done' about dangerous P.E.I. harbour, fishers say

5 months ago

Duration 2:00

People who fish out of Malpeque Harbour are asking when the government is going to address years of safety concerns with the harbour, after a mussel-fishing boat ran aground there Monday. Kyle Nickerson and David Davis say a fix is needed now, because the problems just get worse every year.

Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald said the solution should involve all three levels of government and "ensure that we at least try to do something to make things safer for these fishers and their families."

In the past decade, various studies have been done looking at other long-term solutions, including relocating the harbour for shell fishers to the end of Keir Shore Road, not far from Malpeque Harbour.

MacDonald said he has asked the P.E.I. government to submit environmental permits to get the process started.

In an email to CBCNews on Tuesday, the provincial Department of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture said it's waiting on a funding commitment from the federal government.

"The province is prepared to put financial investment toward the project at Keir Shore but has yet to receive a funding commitment from the federal government. Minister [Cory] Deagle has asked for a meeting with the federal fisheries minister this week to stress the urgency for this project," the email said.

"In the meantime,we have been meeting with marine infrastructure consultants and going through the processes of seeking the required permits.We have meetings with the area's mussel industry stakeholders next week to discuss next steps."

Meanwhile, harvesters are growing more impatient after the mussel boat swamped on Monday.

"It just seems like they're talking about it, but nothing's actually happening," said mussel fisherman David Davis.

"You can only do studies for so long," Nickerson added. "Something's gotta happen.Action's gotta happen."