ERIEAU – Some much-needed funding is coming to three small harbours that will benefit both the local commercial fishing industry and recreational boaters.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed Hussen filled in for Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson on Thursday to announce the federal government is investing more than $2.76 million for infrastructure improvements at small craft harbours in Erieau, Wheatley and the Town of Lakeshore.
Hussen, who made the announcement at Bayside Brewing Company in Erieau, said more than 5,000 people volunteer across Canada “dedicating their time and energy for the upkeep of local harbours.
“That’s an army of people working very hard every day to provide commercial fish harvesters and other harbour users with secure (landing),” he added.
The Rondeau (Erieau) Harbour is in the midst of receiving $1.66 million in upgrades. The project will replace existing timbre piles with steel pipe piles of four jetties and replace the concrete decking on six jetties.
“It’s great to see when money comes to our harbours and we see work being done,” said Jeff Vidler, manager of the harbour at Erieau.
“It will certainly make it safer for them to transfer from the parking area to the dock,” Vidler added.
The work in the fall of 2018 and is expected to be completed by the end of May.
The Wheatley Harbour, which is the largest freshwater fishing harbour in the world, will receive $244,000 to rehabilitate the a timbre pile wall and a new asphalt deck about 100 metres long. The work will begin this month.
“Once complete, this work will help prevent erosion damage to the newly rehabilitated east wall off-loading area and allow additional commercial offloading space,” Hussen said.
Todd Loop, president of the Wheatley Harbour Authority, said the recently completed east wall project has created an communal off-loading area for all the processors.
“We used to have a real mess around the harbour with lift trucks running up and down . . . . it’s a wonder somebody hadn’t been hurt,” he said.
Now, the processors line up their totes and ice up right to the vessels for unloading, he added.
“It cleans it up, there isn’t all the clutter on the docks . . . it’s good.”
Hussen said $860,000 is being provided to reconstruct the Lighthouse Cove pier, which is expected to being in a few days and be competed by the end of May.
“This investment will be used to make a number of infrastructure improvements that will enhance recreational opportunities for residents and visitors in this area,” he said. “It will also provide an economic boost to the community by increasing tourism development, which in turn, benefits local businesses.”
Ownership will be transferred to the Town of Lakeshore once the upgrade is completed so it can continue to be operated as a public facility, the minister said.
Lakeshore Mayor Tom Bain said the pier is an “extremely busy spot,” adding tourism will be the main focus.
He said the area is also busy during the ice-fishing season.
“This is going to mean an awful lot to us, it’s going to bring in a greater amount of tourism,” Bain said.
Economic impact
Annual landings of fish at the Rondeau (Erieau) Harbour is approximately 3,995 tonnes with an approximate value of $5.9 million. It large class ‘A’ commercial fishing harbour on Lake Erie is the home port to 13 to 17 commercial fishing vessels and another eight to 12 transient fishing vessels.
Annual landings of fish at Wheatley Harbour is approximately 6,963 tonnes with an approximate value of $9.7 million. The large class ‘A’ core commercial fishing harbour on Lake Erie is the home port to 30 to 35 commercial fishing vessels and 18 to 24 transient vessels.
Small craft harbours across Canada provide critical support to the commercial fishing industry, which had landings valued at nearly $3.4 billion in 2017. The commercial fishing industry employees approximately 44,000 Canadians.
from Chatham Daily News http://bit.ly/2Guep56
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