Tag Archives: San Mateo County Harbor District
Fishermen ask Harbor District to gut slip fees
At a public meeting hosted by the San Mateo County Harbor District on Thursday, many fishermen and stakeholders at Pillar Point Harbor pleaded with staff not to increase berthing rates while local business remained at a standstill. In late June, the Harbor Commission voted to increase most of its rates and fees by 5.6 percent to keep up with inflation, except for slip and berthing rates for commercial fishers. At the time, some commissioners suggested a discount should be given to owners of commercial vessels who lost money due to shortened crab and canceled salmon seasons. Capt. William Smith, who goes by “Capt. Smitty,” said boats should be getting a reduction in their rent as many operators are losing between 50 to 70 percent of their income due to the loss of salmon season. >click to read< 10:35
Public hoist can’t be used for commercial fishing – Commercial fish buyers may be on hook for harbor fees
The San Mateo County Harbor District is considering how to regulate sales between visiting fish buyers and commercial sellers within Pillar Point Harbor and will soon be discussing ordinances that will impact how much non-berthed vessels will pay in fees. After discussing the option of requiring visiting fishing vessels to obtain a Commercial Activity Permit before offloading product to a tenant fish buyer, the board directed staff to come back with an amended ordinance so that it would not officially require those visiting boats to pay $250 for the permit. This new ordinance will also determine if wholesale offloads to non-tenant buyers will be prohibited from the floating docks. >click to read< 09:39
San Mateo County Harbor District considers a new permit and fee program for off the boat seafood sellers
The Harbor District met June 10 to discuss fee program options, with a potential tiered fee system proposed for fishermen who do off-boat sales, allowing the Harbor District to maintain public pier spaces and create a more equitable fee system for businesses, restaurants and fishermen. Off-the-dock sales 20 years ago were minimal, but now around 50 boats sell on Johnson Pier, bringing in lots of people on the weekends to Pillar Point Harbor, Frank Sousa, a Half Moon Bay fisherman, said prioritizing local fishermen who sell yearly on the dock and rely on local customers was necessary for fee consideration. >click to read< 13:10
Harbor improvement grant lacks fishermen support: Frustration boiling over about Pillar Point Harbor control, decision-making
While seeking funds to update one of the most productive commercial fishing ports in the state, the San Mateo County Harbor District is receiving pushback from a group of fishermen who say they no longer trust the district has their best intentions at heart. On April 28, the district applied for a $3.4 million grant from the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER), to help fund road and pier improvements at Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay. >click to read<12:50
Commercial crab fisherman sues harbor district over access
A man is suing the San Mateo County Harbor District over alleged access issues at the Ketch Joanne Restaurant and Harbor Bar in November. John Schulz requires the use of a wheelchair due to quadriplegia, according to the complaint. He says he needed to wash his hands but the restaurant didn’t have an accessable sink. He added that his attempts to use the non-accessible facilities, caused a series of embarrassing situations that affected him physically and emotionally. In the complaint — dated Dec. 10, 2018 — Schulz is described as a commercial crab fisherman who came to the restaurant on Nov. 14 with two employees after a long day of fishing. >click to read<10:07
San Mateo County Harbor Commission approves a much-contested hoist on pier
After Three Captains owner Larry Fortado won nearly $300,000 in arbitration from the San Mateo County Harbor District, the harbor commission agreed to permit the fish buyer to construct a much-contested hoist on Johnson Pier in Princeton. Harbor commissioners were conflicted about whether to do so at their regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 17, even though the arbiter ordered them to allow the hoist. >click to read<12:41
4th Annual Fish and Fleet Festival Returns to the Pillar Point Harbor on Sunday
If you are a lover of seafood, here’s a chance to see the classic fishing boats and colorful crews that go out to the deep sea to catch your favorite dishes. It’s time for the 4th annual Fish and Fleet Festival being held Sunday at the Pillar Point Harbor from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Along with seafood, The Fish and Fleet Festival will also showcase boats that would thrill Ernest Hemingway. One is names Mr. Morgan and it looks like a commercial fishing vessel one would see in a novel or a movie. >click to read<19:22
Pillar Point Fish buyer must move hoist
A fish buyer at Pillar Point has been ordered to remove a hoist at Johnson Pier installed in 2014 that critics said skirted coastal laws. Steve McGrath, the general manager at the San Mateo County Harbor District, sent a letter to Three Captains Sea Products last week ordering the company to remove the hoist by May 12. The hoist has been the center of considerable controversy as the company’s owner Larry Fortado filed a civil complaint against the district alleging Commissioner Sabrina Brennan worked on behalf of his competitors to keep him from using the hoist. Read the rest here 19:37
San Mateo County Harbor District board waives slip fees for crab fisherman – With a Hook!
With the closure of all commercial Dungeness crab fisheries statewide, the San Mateo County Harbor District board waived slip fees for its 39 permitted commercial crab fishermen who operate out of Pillar Point Harbor on the coast. The fishermen, however, would have to repay the waived fees if federal disaster relief becomes available. Commissioner Sabrina Brennan wanted to extend the fee waivers to recreational fisherman (Everyone gets a trophy?) as well and to extend it to three months rather than one. Read the article here 11:25
San Mateo County Harbor District defends itself: Board of Commissioners responds to civil grand jury report calling for dissolution
The district has come under strict public scrutiny after a stack of uncashed rent checks surfaced, commercial fishing industry representatives claims that they’re misrepresented and commissioners slinging insults in public forums. Read more here 10:51
Harbor improvement grant lacks fishermen support: Frustration boiling over about Pillar Point Harbor control, district decision-making
While seeking funds to update one of the most productive commercial fishing ports in the state, the San Mateo County Harbor District is receiving pushback from a group of fishermen who say they no longer trust the district has their best intentions at heart. Read more here 16:55
