By Carla Allen

FOR THE SOU'WESTER

NovaNewsNow.com



The off loading of fish from a vessel in Yarmouth harbour is displacing people who use the wharf as their vantage point to watch the fireworks associated with the annual Seafest festival.

The old government wharf will be closed to the public during the Seafest fireworks show this Friday, July 18.

The Port of Yarmouth is expecting the MV Green Bergen to dock at the wharf around 10 p.m. Transport Canada requires the port to restrict access prior to the arrival and during the stay of vessels such as these.

The wharf will close to public access at 6 p.m. Friday evening, for approximately three days while the vessels is loading. Any vehicles that are parked within the restricted area at 6 p.m., July 18 will be removed at the owner’s expense.

Port manager Dave Whiting says that while they regret having to close the wharf, which served as a viewing platform for several hundred people, it’s a necessary move.

“That’s the nature of a working port,” he said. “There’s nothing we can do. That’s three days work for the stevedores and 1500 tons of fish is not junk change to the fishing industry.”

“Our first priority is not to look after people watching fireworks, it’s to assist vessels in and out of the harbour and to move product.”

Gates will be erected on Thursday but will be left open until four hours prior to the arrival of the Green Bergen on Friday.

Fishing boats tied up at the dock are included in the security sweep, with security passes being supplied to necessary persons.

In the past it’s been a popular practice for friends and family to use boats moored at Yarmouth’s three wharves to watch the fireworks. That won’t take place this year at the government wharf.

“We’re just allowing people in that have a pass,” said Whiting.

“If they want to put people on board their boat they’ll have to go pick them up somewhere else and offload them there as well,” he said.

Each year thousands of people line the Yarmouth waterfront and harbour to watch the fireworks display.