Funding secured to move Malpeque Harbour to Kier Shore, says P.E.I. MP

After nearly two decades of boats scraping sand bars at the bottom of Malpeque Bay, some people who fish out of that area may finally be getting a safer option.

Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald said Thursday that funding has been secured to move the harbour's working wharf to nearby Kier Shore.

"This has been an ongoing issue for the past, I believe, around 19 years. The aquaculture sector, the harvesters were asking for help in moving," MacDonald said in an interview with CBC News. 

The current Malpeque wharf is used by mussel and lobster fishing boats, but tides fill the bay with silt and sand that can cause boats to be damaged, or worse.

"There's been multiple swampings, sinkings over the last number of years and it's only a matter of time until somebody doesn't escape," said Chris Wall, who's been fishing out of Malpeque for 30 years.

"I mean, you can only try to beat Mother Nature so many times, but eventually she's going to catch up to you."

Wall said that fishers have to plan to venture out according to how high the tides are to avoid the issue, and often won't bring in their full catch so they're less weighted down.

While there may be some growing pains in adapting to a new wharf closer to the open ocean, Wall said it will be better than the current situation.

"At the end of the day, if you can't use your wharf or your harbour, then you have to look at doing something different," he said. "Malpeque Harbour is totally a picturesque harbour, well sheltered. If we go on the bay side, there certainly will be more exposure to the wind, but at least we'll be able to get in and out safely before someone does lose a life."

The government has frequently dredged the harbour, sometimes up to three times a year. But just as quickly as it can be dredged, the sand and silt flow back in.

"What we're doing now is just typically a Band-Aid solution," Wall said. "We've been spending a million dollars plus in dredging, and in some cases it hasn't lasted two weeks."

MacDonald said the federal government is prepared to commit $3.25 million toward moving the harbour, and he's sent a letter to the P.E.I. government asking it to contribute an equal amount.

"It's been a long time coming for these harvesters and these companies, but I think we're going to see the end of it and hopefully have some satisfaction over the immediate term," MacDonald said. 

An email from the provincial Department of Fisheries confirmed a letter was sent from the federal government, and that staff look forward to federal representatives reaching out to discuss the details.