Still no concrete plans for new Malpeque Harbour
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – With the spring 2023 lobster season underway, lobster fishers out Malpeque are once again wondering about future plans for a replacement of their harbour.
“Don’t get us wrong, we like our harbour,” said Chris Wall, lobster fisher and board member of the Malpeque Harbour Authority. “But if you can’t get out to open water, it’s not much good.”
Every year, the channel is dredged to help with navigability. Still, dredging is expensive and merely a short-term solution.
The dredge was on site clearing sediment for a few days in mid-April, said Wall, adding that there was not as much sand to be moved from the navigational channel this year as in years past.
“There’s an inner spot that’s a bit shallow, or narrow, or dangerous. Your boat will go aground and you can’t get past that spot.” said Wall. “But on the outside of where they dredge, that’s the most dangerous spot, because there’s where you can actually roll your boat over if there’s big enough waves.”
Dredging at Malpeque cost close to $1 million in the 2022-2023 season, said a spokesperson with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in an email to SaltWire.
Per the DFO, costs for dredging in 2023 are currently unavailable as work is still underway.
As part of investments in
the 2021 budget, DFO’s Small Craft Harbours program has worked with the Malpeque Harbour Steering Committee for the last few years.
The plan is to look at various ways to address the sediment-related issues offshore and how best to make the harbour more accessible.
Since talks began, Wall said he and the Harbour Authority have been involved in at least three studies, hoping to find a long-term solution.
“The last study we did was certainly more intensive and looked at options and costs and locations of a new facility,” he said.
At that time, cost estimates for a new harbour came to $42 million spread over four
years. Three years of studies would also have to be conducted, as well, before construction
could begin.
Wall added that another potential option that was
looked at was adding a breakwater, but said it would be more expensive than relocating the harbour.
When speaking to
SaltWire in May 2023, Wall said he was uncertain about any concrete plans for a new harbour.
“Even if we got word tomorrow they were gonna start to build this new harbour, it was probably at least seven years out,” said Wall. “At the rate things are going, they’ll likely keep dredging until somebody is killed or drowned.”
Wall added that the 100-ft wide channel that was made before the start of lobster season has since begun to fill in.