Englee wants new wharf after fish plant demolition

Province not talking, cites “legal issues involved”

The mayor of Englee continues to hope the former site of the community’s fish plant will one day serve as a dock for local fish harvesters. However, the likelihood of that becoming a reality may depend on the eventual actions of the provincial government.

In November, the province completed work to tear down the plant, which had been left abandoned since 2004. Sea Treat Ltd., a subsidiary company of the Daley Bros., owned the plant and declared bankruptcy in 2007.

Portions of the plant were falling into the harbour, and there were concerns a wall facing a local road would eventually fall. The owner of the plant did not respond to government orders to clean the site, and the province eventually elected to handle the job itself.

Asked to comment on the land’s suitability for future development and whether a bill for remediation has been forwarded to the plant owner, Service NL cited legal concerns in refusing to comment.

“We’re not in a position at this time to respond to these specific questions given the legal issues involved,” said a spokeswoman for the department in an emailed statement to The Telegram.

Rudy Porter, Englee’s mayor, said the community has made some follow up inquiries with Small Craft Harbours about the possibility of getting a new wharf for the community.

According to Porter, the town has made a request to meet with officials from Small Craft Harbours. Porter said council has already met with the local harbour authority.

“There’s not a lot of public wharfing here, especially for our larger boats,” said Porter, who adds many local fish harvesters keep their ves- sels in St. Anthony.

There is a small wharf in Englee used for offloading purposes that can accommodate two boats at most, according to the mayor.

As for ownership of the land, Porter expects that will be a matter for the provincial government to sort out.

“I haven’t the foggiest where that’s gone with government or what they’re doing, how they’re proceeding legally or what the bottom line is on that,” he said. According to the 2011 census, Englee has a population of 583, down 5.7 per cent from its 2006 figure of 618. Almost half of its residents are 50 years of age or older.

“We still have a fair number of fishermen, but we’re rapidly (getting) more and more seniors here, and in some cases we’re starting to see other people who’ve gone away and made their living on the mainland … buy properties and come in for the summer. But our economy is still our major problem here. We need something to keep our people busy.”

Porter said he was pleased to see the abandoned plant site finally get cleared.

“It was a godsend for us,” he said. “It was just an eyesore.”

We still have a fair number of fishermen. … But our economy is still our major problem here. We need something to keep our people busy.

Englee Mayor Rudy Porter

He noted the plant was a hazard for people on the water and polluted the harbour. The town erected a guardrail along the road passing the site with a grant provided by the

Department of Municipal Affairs.