Army Corps of Engineers should take responsibility

National Fisherman, January, 2005 by Paul F. Beglane

The article "Corps dredging vessel claims lobstermen's gear" [Nov. NF, p. 11] does not do justice to the events that have troubled the Boston Harbor lobstering community since the Army Corps of Engineers began a loosely organized, last-minute dredging project in Boston Harbor.

The Army Corps of Engineers has pushed an unusually rapid and aggressive agenda for this project. There were several incidents where lobstermen complained that they had lost traps because they were not given sufficient warning to move traps out of the dredging area. Project manager Mike Keegan refused to take responsibility for the damage to our gear. Mr. Keegan justified this decision by saying that that the longstanding practice of lobstering in the channels of Boston Harbor (loudly approved...