While Department of Land and Natural Resources Secretary Sylvan Igisomar, right, looks on, Department of Public Works highway engineer Gani Salazar, left, points to an area where runoff has removed vacuum material at the Garapan Fishing Base Shoreline Revetment project.
The Garapan Fishing Base Shoreline Revetment project site.
DURING a site inspection on Oct. 3, Department of Public Works highway engineer Gani Salazar recommended that the Department of Lands and Natural Resources add a concrete barrier to its Garapan Fishing Base shoreline revetment project.
The $646,000 project is ongoing south of the boat ramp at the Garapan Fishing Base, a major community recreational area. Variety files state that the project first broke ground in late Sept. 2022.
The project aims to “reduce erosion and improve water quality in the Saipan Lagoon.” USA. Fanter is the contractor. DPW and DLNR, for their part, are collaborating with the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in implementing the project.
Salazar said rain runoff from the land side of the project is removing “vacuum material” in between the large rocks that form the revetment site.
The concrete barrier will mitigate erosion, Salazar said. The barrier would begin at the top of the large rocks and extend toward the land. Salazar said there would be space to build a walkway for pedestrians.
“Because of this [runoff] erosion we need to protect the rock…in order to make it more stable,” Salazar said.
He said DPW recommends a “bench type” barrier people can sit on or fish from.
When asked by DLNR Secretary Sylvan Igisomar for a rough estimate of the cost to add a concrete barrier, Salazar said around $250,000.
Igisomar said DPW’s recommendation “makes sense.”
“We’ll support it,” Igisomar added. “We’ll work with the grants office to see if we can do some kind of quick turnaround. We don’t want to see any more deep holes here. We want to make sure that this thing is taken care of quickly. It’s going to help…fisheries and make sure this [shoreline] doesn’t erode even further. And folks can come out and fish here and swim and park their boats. It’s a good thing for our community.”
According to Floyd Masga, DLNR special advisor, the revetment project is funded by the CNMI’s Sustainable Fisheries Fund. DLNR can continue to pursue additional funds and/or will look into tapping Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan funds for the concrete barrier, Masga said.
He added that the revetment project will prevent ocean surges from “eating” the shoreline and damaging nearby infrastructure.
He said the project will protect the surrounding area, which includes the Garapan Public Market, the parking lot, and a future location for the Marianas Visitors Authority.
