Seattle Press on Line - Fishermen's Terminal Fuel Dock Slated for Closure

Fishermen's Terminal Fuel Dock Slated for Closure

Apr 25, 2002 -- Seattle Port Commissioners will decide this week whether to close the fuel dock at Fishermen's Terminal, said Kenny Lyles, the newly-appointed general manager of Fishermen's Terminal. The lease on the fuel dock is held by Rainier Petroleum, Inc.

Lyles said major construction starting in August along the South Wall of the terminal will impact the ability to deliver services to the fuel dock. The three year project, which includes replacing the original wall built in 1914 and demolishing the north part of the net sheds over the water, will cost $12 to $15 million.

Lyles said 99 percent of the volume of fuel sales inside the Chittenden locks goes to Ballard Oil, Covich-Williams and North Star Marina. "Rainier Petroleum is not doing much for the fishermen, it's miniscule" he said.

Not everyone agreed with Lyles.

"I buy fuel there and a lot of other guys do too," said Peter Knutson, a fisherman activist.

"This is just one more convenience for the fishermen gone, like losing Seattle Ship Supply and Captain's Nautical. It's a whole pattern of neglect by the Port, which seems to allow the infrastructure to deteriorate. I might agree to it if they would just give us one investment explicitly targeted at small boat fishing, like a direct marketing facility and advertising support on the West Wall for fishers to sell directly to the public from their vessels, which is attractive to both the public and fishboat owners."

The president of Rainier Petroleum, Cholly Mercer, was Business Analysis Subcommittee Chair of the Port's Harbor Development Strategy 21 (HDS 21), a 35-member advisory committee which made many recommendations to improve water-related activities of various Port facilities last spring.

One recommendation made by HDS 21 was that Fishermen's Terminal provide moorage for some recreational vessels, which Port Commissioners agreed to in January of this year.

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