Posted on July 5, 2016
By Cristina Mendez, nbc-2.com
An emergency dredging project at Matanzas Pass is just a few weeks away from completion.
The project has impacted the Fort Myers shrimping business, with many boats are stuck to the docks while sand is removed.
“I think it’s critical, there’s a lot of jobs at stake, and it has to be done,” said Rick Wusd.
As time passes while shrimpers are at a slow pace of work, prices for Gulf shrimp are soaring. Although business is taking a hit, boaters along Fort Myers Beach said the $3 million in federal funding it took to launch the project is worth their safety.
“There’s a lot of sandbars, there’s one right in front of the bridge, going in right in the middle, so they definitely need to dredge that,” said James Tucker.
Now, boaters are looking for the same type of efforts to be done at Big Carlos Pass. The West Coast Inland Navigational District is putting Big Carlos Pass on the fast track for the next dredging project.
Lee County Commissioner Larry Kiker said federal funding should cover the future project but if not, the county will be footing the remainder of the bill.
Until surveys are done in the water at Big Carlos Pass, there is no price tag on the project just yet.
“This is all about them able to get out and get back in safely,” said Wusd.
Source: nbc-2.com
