Scituate Waterways Reviews Harbor Dredging Plan, Safety Boat Inventory

SCITUATE — March 4, 2026 — Scituate's Central Waterways Commission reviewed a harbor dredging suitability determination and a benchmarking study of safety boats across five neighboring towns at its March 4 meeting. Harbormaster Stephen Moe reported that of approximately 16,000 cubic yards to be dredged from Scituate Harbor, all but 3,600 cubic yards has been cleared for offshore disposal in Massachusetts Bay or Cape Cod Bay, with the remainder requiring upland disposal likely through geotube dewatering; an RFP for South River dredging is under review by town counsel. Commission member Dave Sinkowski presented a comparative study finding Scituate has the highest number of in-water safety boats among towns surveyed, with roughly twice as many as Duxbury, prompting discussion about whether a second small fire department skiff without firefighting equipment is redundant. Member Susan Harrison reported that proposed commercial waterways bylaw changes — including a clarification that commercial fishermen must derive 51 percent of their "annual gross income" from fishing — were well received at a joint Select Board, Advisory Committee, and bylaw review session Tuesday, with town meeting set for April 13.