Could standoff over eelgrass preservation and dredging be over?

In the years following its discovery in Newport Harbor, eelgrass has been getting a bad reputation among some dock owners.

Although the underwater grass with its green, slender blades plays an important role in the development of a suitable habitat for marine life in the harbor, the need to protect the plant has prevented many dock owners from dredging sediment under their slips for decades.

“A lot of people in the community came to hate eelgrass because when they discovered it was anywhere near their dock, it completely derailed their dredging project,” said city Harbor Commissioner Doug West.

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