North Rustico charter boats say low tides in silted-in harbour will cost them big this season

With spring lobster fishing crews already navigating extremely low tides in North Rustico's harbour, the problems may just be starting for tourism boats in the community on P.E.I.'s North Shore.

Getting vessels in and out of the harbour is always a tricky challenge — it's narrow and has lots of twists and turns. 

But back on April 29, a combination of very low tides, gusty winds and sand accumulation on the sea bed left more than a dozen lobster boats stranded in the harbour. It was well into the evening before the tides rose enough for them to get back to the wharf without bottoming out in the sandy channel. 

Julie Ann Gauthier was on one of those stranded lobster boats, but her concerns about water depth go beyond the end of the commercial fishery on June 25. 

She's also the co-owner of Joey's Deep Sea Fishing, a charter service that begins operating for the summer as the spring lobster season comes to an end. 

Gauthier said the tide forecast is forcing the business to cancel at least a full week of sailing in both July and August. 

"That also means the wages for all those employees, the tax dollars that go back into this island to help it run — it's just taking money off the table," she said. 

"It's also disappointing so many visitors who are… waiting for so long to come and get their first experience deep-sea fishing." 

Gauthier said the problem could be solved if Fisheries and Oceans Canada dredged the channel again, and has been calling Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald daily to try to make that happen. 

She's also drafting a letter on behalf of all the deep sea fishers in the area, calling on DFO to take immediate action. 

Dredging needed more than in past

More P.E.I. harbours have needed dredging in recent years, in part because there's less sea ice to keep the shifting sand in check.

DFO is responsible for maintaining P.E.I.'s network of fishing harbours. It routinely dredges to deepen the channels, which helps prevent boats from running aground when they enter or leave a harbour.

Michelle Boyce of the charter company Atlantic Sailing P.E.I. said she needs three and a half feet to safely navigate the North Rustico channel. Currently, she said, there's less than three feet of depth. 

Her company's sailing season begins Sunday, but she said they've already cancelled 70 tours this season based on what the tide charts say about the expected water depth at low tide. 

Users may consider navigating the channel by adjusting their plans for periods of low tides. There are no plans to carry out additional dredging at this time.— Statement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada

"We need a safe harbour so that we can get in and out safely with those guests on board," Boyce said. 

"It's not being provided to us at this point, and the loss of revenue is one thing, but loss of equipment, damage to equipment and passenger safety are huge concerns of ours." 

Boyce bought a new boat with a shallower hull depth ahead of this season, hoping to have to cancel fewer tours. 

But even lobster fishing boats, which can navigate in less water than her boat and have more engine power to help push them through, had to come in early on Tuesday to avoid getting stuck. 

Having just recovered from the loss of customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Boyce doesn't know how much more of a financial hit the business can take before it's not viable to sail out of North Rustico anymore. 

"There's nothing worse than calling somebody and disappointing them and telling them that their vacation plans have changed and they can't do what they wanted," she said.  

"My livelihood starts on Sunday. I make my annual income in three months, and if I lose that income, I don't know where I'm going."

No more dredging planned 'at this time': DFO

CBC News reached out to DFO about dredging and received a short statement 

"Fisheries and Oceans Canada carries out dredging in support of the commercial fishery when required and subject to available funding," it said. "Dredging at North Rustico took place ahead of the lobster season, which opened on April 25.

"Users may consider navigating the channel by adjusting their plans for periods of low tides. There are no plans to carry out additional dredging at this time."