Waterways Commission Backs New Town Pier Fee Rules

Water · Meeting of October 6, 2026

SCITUATE — The Scituate Waterways Commission swore in a new chairman and tightened town pier fees but balked at a surprise $360,000 boat request. Chairman Brian Cronin took over the gavel, while Harbormaster Stephen Moe proposed a 29-foot, twin-300-horsepower replacement boat that several members said arrived without proper review before heading to Capital Planning. One member said "it just rubs me the wrong way," while fisherman and commissioner Kevin countered, "I'm not going to get saved by the city of Boston." The commission voted unanimously to make all vessels pay a $250 pier load-unload fee, closing a loophole exploited by a truck-mounted crane, and voted 5-2 to send a letter supporting the Pier 44 waterfront park, now trimmed from $6 million to $4 million with $1.2 million in grants submitted, including a newly secured $280,000 grant.

Commercial fishermen also warned that $250,000 federal fishing permits risk leaving Scituate for New Bedford or Gloucester as fuel and ice costs, now $6.50 a gallon and $140 a ton, squeeze the fleet.

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Source: the Water meeting of October 6, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.