Wabasso fishing pier damaged by Hurricane Matthew coming down, but not until next summer

WABASSO — The Wabasso fishing pier, which sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Matthew in October, is now scheduled for demolition. But not for another year.

That's disappointing to those who fish almost daily from the pier, a type of catwalk parallel to the Wabasso Causeway and about 10 feet above the Indian River Lagoon, said Phillip Pederson, owner of the Wabasso Bait & Tackle Shack.

"Everybody uses that catwalk," Pederson said. 

Demolishing the pier is expected to cost the county about $1.1 million. Rebuilding it also could cost more than $1 million, which is not an option, said county Coastal Engineer James Gray. 

"It's no longer safe," he said. 

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Last week, county commissioners approved spending $49,200 to begin getting necessary permits.  

Demolition likely will have to wait until next summer, Gray said. Obtaining permits takes time, he said. Construction of the reef is prohibited until at least mid-November because of the northern white whale season, he said. 

The project would include using the material from the pier to create an artificial reef about three miles offshore, near Golden Sands Beach, Gray said. 

"It creates a new fishing opportunity," Gray said.

County officials hope to get state and federal grants to help pay for the project, Gray added.

Pederson said he'd like to see a movement to repair the pier at some point because it is used so much. Fishermen now use either side of the Wabasso Causeway, he said. 

That causes safety concerns because fishermen walk across County Road 510, he said. Reeling in a fish too hard could create a safety hazard by smacking a fish into someone's windshield, he said. 

It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, he said.

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