Thank you for a well written and thoughtful article on the controversy surrounding access to commercially designated moorings in Scituate Harbor.
Rep Kearney’s approach, while well intentioned, misses the root of the problem. Both moorings and marina dockage are extremely scarce in Scituate. This has driven marina fees to levels which may be unaffordable to a charter operation. However simply allowing them onto the commercial mooring eligibility list merely increases waiting times and makes more difficult for commercial fishermen to operate a business in Scituate Harbor.
I began fishing from Scituate in 1962 and spent fifty-five fruitful years operating a series of boats. During those years, I witnessed the growing competition for space. We are extremely fortunate that the Town of Scituate chose to maintain its “working waterfront” through its dockage and mooring policies. Many communities who opted for more free-market access have lost much of their fishing heritage.
I believe that charter fishing businesses are a bona fide component of our fisheries, They too contribute to both the culture and economics of our harbor. However, simply placing them into the mooring queue does not fully solve the problem. They need a dedicated dock space that allows them to board passengers and even provide access to customers with disabilities.
The Town should consider dedicating a portion of the municipal marinas for charter vessel usage Pricing should be based on an economic study of the benefits of charter fisheries and not be based solely on the revenue from dockage fees.
Thank you, Frank Mirarchi, Scituate, Mass.