It's hard not to take a cynical view of this situation. Just be aware that if you're traveling to Dauphin Island, Orange Beach, or Gulf Shores you might expect to see shrimp boats in places they don't belong. Just think of them as billboards for the excellent steamed seafood you'll have while there.
Long story short: Last season's storms grounded many shrimp boats - no surprise there - and about 23 remain ashore. Following standard storm preparedness procedures, the shrimp boat owners had unloaded their boats' fuel. Now FEMA won't move them because without fuel they aren't a threat to public health. Alabama would gladly pay to have them removed, but the Coast Guard is in charge of salvage operations, and the state cannot legally enter into a contract with the Coast Guard.
Some stranded vessels in bayou may never be recovered
MOBILE, Ala. Alabama Governor Bob Riley turned to the head of the federal government's Katrina relief operations in calling for removal of all stranded fishing vessels in Bayou La Batre.
Federal officials have outlined options for Riley, including having the state hire its own salvage contractor.Riley says the state of Alabama is prepared to pay the two (m) million dollar estimated cost of removing the remaining large shrimping vessels tossed ashore or sunk by Hurricane Katrina on August 29th.
Riley's phone call Wednesday to keep Coast Guard salvage operations going went to Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen, head of federal relief operations, and to White House officials.
Allen relayed the message to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Captain Peter Simons, a legal officer for the Eighth District Command in New Orleans, says the agency is working with the governor's office to identify possible solutions to remedy the situation.
It's possible the state could hire a contractor to remove the remaining 23 vessels that FEMA can't legally remove because they no longer represent a health threat or navigation hazard.
But Simons says the Coast Guard lacks the authority under federal law to enter into a contract with states to remove vessels.