A new commercial fishing pier is to be built in Boothbay, Maine. The Boothbay Region Maritime Foundation signed a contract with Fuller Marine to build the dock and seawall at Carter’s Wharf, the former site of the Sea Pier. Only licensed commercial fishermen and buyers will be considered for the wharf's use. The first phases of the project cost $2.1 million; however, the Foundation is also seeking donations for the remainder of the project.
The seawall will be constructed from granite and raised to meet current FEMA flood zone height requirements. The pier will have a poured-in-place concrete deck. Gartley and Dorsky Engineering & Surveying engineered the site plan. The seawall was engineered by Summit Geoengineering Services with Gartley and Dorsky, and GEI Consultants, Inc. engineered the pier.
The $2.1 million project was funded with a state grant, the Mildred McEvoy Foundation, and other anonymous grants and donations. Additional donations are being sought for the final phase of the project, which will include the construction of a buying station, fuel station, and marina. More information on further donations can be found here.
Commercial fishermen, buyers, or individuals and businesses who are interested in using the wharf once it is complete should send a letter of interest to the Boothbay Region Maritime Foundation. Bids for the construction of the buying station will be sought until Sept. 16.
The Boothbay Region Maritime Foundation is a 501 C3 nonprofit organization and was created in 2018 with a mission to preserve maritime heritage by supporting working waterfronts. During the 1600s, English fishermen and farmers settled in the Boothbay region, with residents fighting in many wars for almost 300 years of permanent settlement. In addition to commercial fishing and recreational and commercial boatbuilding in the region, naval vessels were built in the region for World War I and II and the Korean War.
The first tourist boom was in the 1880s, and around that time, industrial-sized businesses, including sardines and lobster canneries, were built, providing jobs for the locals. Today, Boothbay’s rich maritime heritage is shown through the shipyards, fishing, and tourism that peak during the summertime in Maine. 160 out of the 4100 commercial lobster license holders fish out of the Boothbay area and account for about six million pounds of lobster each year.
