THE Department of Lands and Natural Resources’ decision to terminate the use of Outer Cove Marina will “kill” the tourism industry, Pacific Marine Enterprise President David Dougherty said.
On April 3, 2024, DLNR Secretary Sylvan Igisomar issued a notice informing all marine operators about the termination of the use of the Outer Cove Marina due to its deteriorating conditions.
He said DLNR closed the marina on Sept. 30, 2019, terminating all the existing use agreements with boat operators. Boat operators then signed a waiver and release of liability form.
Igisomar’s notice states that in light of ongoing concerns and the need to address the deteriorating conditions of the marina, “DLNR has decided to terminate all continued usage” in 30 days.
He advised marine operators to berth their vessels or load and unload their passengers elsewhere.
Dougherty is one of the marine operators using Outer Cove Marina. Two of his three boats are docked there. He was unaware of DLNR’s notice until Sunday when this reporter showed him a copy.
“Where are we going to go? There’s no other place to park our boats,” he said.
Dougherty said Smiling Cove Marina is for private use only. Commercial marine operators cannot dock their boats there, he added. Moreover, the docking slips at Smiling Cove are already occupied, and there are no more spaces for additional boats, he said.
The government may allow them to load and unload passengers at Smiling Cove Marina, but “where are we going to dock our boats?” he asked.
There are docking slips next to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. power plant, but those are already leased by the Commonwealth Ports Authority to inter-island cargo boats.
Pacific Marine’s 65-foot Torpedo Retriever serves U.S. prepositioning ships while its 35-foot vessel assists other marine operators in salvaging distressed boats in the waters surrounding Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
“Now, I’m not sure where we are going to put them,” Dougherty said.
Those that will be seriously affected are the boats servicing Managaha. “What are they going to do now? They’re going to kill the tourism industry,” he said referring to DLNR.
Another boat owner, who declined to be identified, said: “How the hell am I going to move an 83-foot boat with no engine to another dock — even if there was another dock? There’s no other place to put the boats.”
A Department of Lands and Natural Resource’s notice is posted at one of the docks at Outer Cove Marina.
