HomeMy WebLinkAboutComment letter Wayne Kurker Colliers Ledge1^’1 Willow Street,Hyannis,MA 02601 «Tel:(508)790-4000 ●Fax:(508)775-0851
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11/20/2024MarkRousseau
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
RE:Colliers Ledge
Dear Mr.Rousseau,
While the fishermen's concerns about dismantling Colliers Ledge are understandable,it is undeniably one of the
most hazardous public safety risks in Nantucket Sound.Each year,several boats strike this ledge.The Coast Guard's
proposal to leave the bottom layer of the rock pile in place for the fishermen is a reasonable compromise.However,
a depth of more than 7 feet would offer much greater safety for all parties involved.
Given the ongoing resistance from fishermen,the best solution would be to relocate Colliers Ledge to a nearby site,
as close to the current location as possible.I have attached a chart showing several viable alternatives.Within a
short distance of Colliers,there are areas where the rocks could be relocated,creating a comparable artificial reef
while ensuring a depth that will not pose a navigational hazard at low tide.
●A.Just over 100 yards to the west of Colliers,there are areas with depths exceeding 15 feet.
●B.Within a quarter mile to the south,there are areas with depths exceeding 20 feet.
®C.Within half a mile to the south,there are areas with depths exceeding 25 feet.
The Division of Marine Fisheries should consider supporting the USCG's efforts to use an adjacent site to replicate
Colliers Ledge,thereby creating a new artificial reef.This solution would allow the Coast Guard to weigh the pros
and cons of the proposal,including the permitting costs.
If the USCG is denied the necessary permits,any future disasters in the area may be attributed to those responsible
for blocking the project.
While permitting will inevitably involve time and money,these "soft costs"would represent only a small fraction of
the expense required to transport the rocks to other approved sites in Yarmouth,Harwich,or an upland disposal
location.Moving the rocks requires significant logistical coordination,including the use of a deck barge and
tugboats for towing the rocks to and from Yarmouth/Harwich,along with a crane barge for unloading.For upland
disposal,an unloading dock—likely in New Bedford—would be needed,along with a land crane for offloading the
rocks and reloading them into a fleet of trucks to transport them to an upland site.
These transportation and unloading costs would escalate significantly,which means that relocating the rocks to a
nearby location and creating a new artificial reef next to Colliers would be a more cost-effective solution for the
USCG and ultimately benefit taxpayers.Additionally,this approach would likely reduce fishermen's resistance to the
project.
Thank you for your consideration of this alternative solution.
Respectfully,
Wayne Kurker,President
CC:
Christine Perron -McFarland Johnson Inc
Dan Deltufo -Appledore Marine Engineering LLC
Barnstable Conservation Commission
NOTE;4300 YDS original est intrepidCCfO^CONTENDERKEYWEST BOATS