Posted on May 29, 2023
The Northumberland Strait will be dredged in the coming years to make way for a new ferry, and local fishers are apprehensive that the dredged material could be dumped on their lobster grounds.
Transport Canada says no decision has been made about whether the dumping will occur at sea or on land, but Wood Islands area fishers came away from an April meeting concerned about the future of their catches.
Kuri White, acting president of the Wood Islands Harbour Authority, said that fear is well-founded after a minor dredge at the ferry terminal last May and June, disposed of at sea, was correlated with a “substantial” drop in catches according to fishers.
If it costs more to dump on land, it would be money well spent to protect one of PEI’s major industries, he said.
“This would potentially harm the industry in a devastating manner. There’s not a single fisherman I’ve talked to at any harbour who’s in favour of dumping at sea.”
Mr White said dumping the silt in the Northumberland Strait would not only affect Wood Islands fishers, but neighbouring Island harbours, not to mention Caribou and others on the mainland side. He said Caribou fishermen were not informed of this process until their Wood Islands counterparts told them.
“(The federal government) thought it was just a Wood Islands issue, but in my mind it’s more of a (Lobster Fishing Area) 26A issue,” he said. “You’re not going to know if it kills the larvae for six or seven years down the road.”
There has been talk about dredging six feet deep and “dynamiting stuff out in the run,” he said.
However, a statement from Transport Canada did not address a question about whether dynamiting will take place and said the depth of dredging has not been determined yet.
“Design of the new ferry is ongoing, however, maintenance dredging of the channel is a requirement for any vessel in this service as the channel infills over time,” the department said.
The department also did not answer questions about what year the dredging will take place, the advantages and cost differences between dumping at sea or on land, whether the impact on lobster and their larvae is being considered and whether there are concerns about harming piping plovers on land.
A beach near the ferry terminal serves as a piping plover habitat, which has been cited as a potential concern for bringing the dredged material on land.
A second meeting between Transport Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, consulting firm WSP and fishers later in April was postponed and has not yet been re-scheduled.
Laura Ramsay, research and liaison officer for the PEI Fishermen’s Association, said two maps were presented for discussion at the first meeting but no formal information was given on time frame.
“(WSP) said they would look at other options to move dredged material on land rather than dumping at sea, so we are encouraged that they will find a solution for that ahead of our next meeting.”
The PEIFA has requested more information on the plans, including a baseline study to be conducted this spring and summer.
The new ferry is expected to be ready for service with Northumberland Ferries in 2027.
