Along with its decision on a new Panamax cruise ship dock, the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly could soon hear arguments to mitigate the affects of a proposed cruise ship dock on the annual blessing of the fleet and Alaska Commercial Fisherman’s Memorial.
CBJ Assembly Members voted to leave the memorial at its current downtown location in August 2011 (goo.gl/Es2zQ).
Planning Commission’s June 26 decision to pass the dock’s Conditional Use Permit and State Project Use Review to the Assembly came with a recommendation to consider the Fishermen’s Memorial a second time. The new dock, some commissioners said, could hinder the blessing of the fleet.
The new dock was shifted to accommodate offloading fish to the Taku Dock. At passing, commissioners recommended the Assembly take a second look at the Fisherman’s Memorial located in the shadow of the Panamax cruise dock (goo.gl/Blbiu). Commissioners were concerned that the new dock would block access to the memorial during the annual blessing of the fleet ceremony.
Other Juneau groups have also expressed concern (goo.gl/lma4y).
Speaking as the co-owner of the Fishing Vessel Mongoose, Linnea Osborne said she is in favor of the Planning Commission’s decision to recommend a second look at the memorial. Osborne is on the Commercial Fisherman’s Memorial Committee. She testified to the planning commission about the cruise dock’s potential effect on offloading fish to the Taku Dock. During a subsequent telephone interview she talked about the memorial.
She said the Commercial Fisherman’s Memorial is damaged and is sinking. The proposed cruise dock will hinder the blessing of the fleet.
“Where we come together on water and land,” Osborne said.
Plans for the new dock do not take fishing families into account, Osborne said. Attempts to move the memorial go back a long way she said.
Osborne said she has concerns about delivering fish at Taku Dock.
“It is going to be scary,” Osborne said. “Mother nature at her best can really blast us down there.”
Osborne said she was concerned that the Planning Commission heard public comments during salmon season, when many fishing families are busy.
“We are one of those families whose property tax I paid for by fishing,” Osborne said.
Hundreds of Southeast families are affected by commercial fishing, Osborne said. They’ve shown their support by making sure the Fishermen’s Memorial came to fruition, she said.
The next scheduled CBJ Assembly meeting is scheduled for July 16.
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (7)
Add commentThis isnt a story
This is an interview. One person's selffish opinion. What a hack job of a story. How about the other side of the story?
How about reporting that Osbourne wants to shut down a working port for a once a year memorial service.
One Hour A Year = Million$ ?
The blessing of the fishing fleet takes one hour on a certain day in May when there are no cruise ships tied at the tram dock site. This past year 13 fishing boats participated.
However, the cost to move the Memorial for this quasi-religious ceremony could be millions of dollars. A far better site for the Memorial may be the Under The Bridge park proposed next to Harris Harbor, while the blessing could be easily accomodated at the airplane float on the park's north side.
The millions to move the Memorial should not be paid for with marine passenger fees, as the stated reasons for a move is now "damage and sinkage," not conflict with cruise ships or navigation.
Memorial has changed
The original reason for the Fisherman's Memorial was to honor those fishermen who were lost at sea, while working. Now, names are added, if they were ever a commercial fisherman...even if they died at home or while traveling. When the reason for the Memorial is no longer honored, then the Memorial and the blessing of the fleet can take place anywhere as the Memorial no longer represents those lost at sea. If you want to truly honor those commercial fisherman, who died at sea, then put the Memorial at the commercial fishing dock...which is the dock by the bridge not by the tour ship docks.
Location, location, location...
Devil's Advocate. What exactly is the primary objection some people have with any talk of relocating this cenotaph? Are the latitude and longitude coordinates particularly essential for this memorial to be experienced perfectly?
I can support those who draw comfort by gathering with others around a physical memorial; in this case, for those lost at sea. But from my perspective, the magic spell performed each year can be done by video conference and, preferably without official governmental participation.
Mike
We should listen to the
We should listen to the concerns from both sides, this is how we get the best policy
Glad to see that the Assembly
Glad to see that the Assembly gets to make the final decision about this. Shouldn't it be up to us, the citizens? Put it on the ballot. Or would the will of the people interfere with your plans?
KP
Don't we elect our assembly members to make these sorts of decisions? You could argue that every decision should be on the ballot, but we'd be having elections once a month if that were the case. Let them do their jobs. If you don't like the way they do that, elect someone else.