WESTERN BUREAU:
FISHERMEN AND marine interests in Montego Bay say the dredging now taking place in the city's harbour is having little negative effect on marine activity. President of the Whitehouse Fishermen's Co-operative Troy Jumpp told The Gleaner that a small amount of sedimentation was present in the water, but that this has not affected the livelihood of the fishermen.
"There is a little sedimentation but it is not much, it is not too great to the extent that we should cry about it," he said.
Andrew Ross, a representative at the Montego Bay Marine Park conceded that there was increased turgidity in the area, but added that the long term effect should be minimal.
He, however, insisted that city officials take a closer look at ways to prevent large amounts of garbage from washing into the Montego Bay harbour from the city's rivers and drains. This, he said, would remove the necessity to dredge the harbour every few years.
"Until we do something about large amounts of silt flowing in from the rivers, then we will have to be dredging every ten years like we are doing now. If we pay attention to what needs to be done now, then we can make it right," said Mr. Ross.
About $132 million is being spent dredging the harbour. It is expected that the pier should be able to accommodate vessels up to 1,500 feet in length. Areas such as the entrance channel, berth face and the western side of the turning basin, are being dredged to a depth of 34 feet or 10.4 metres.
The Port Authority of Jamaica, which is responsible for the maintenance of the country's harbours, has deviated from an original plan to dump waste from the dredging activity on land at the Montego Bay Freeport, and is instead carrying the waste further out to sea to be dumped. Dredging began on Tuesday and should be completed on the weekend.
