Gig Harbor’s historic Ancich netshed nearly ready for commercial fishboat use
The City of Gig Harbor is within weeks of making the historic Ancich net shed and pier available for use by commercial fishermen, a major goal of the city’s policy of restoring its working waterfront.
An ordinance to allow shared use of the city-owned pier and netshed is expected to be reviewed by the City Council at a March 22 meeting. Jeff Langhelm, the city’s public works director, told the council in a study session March 4 he hopes to have the pier open for use in time for the fishermen to use it to prepare for the summer season.
Preserving a working waterfront has been a longtime goal of several city administrations, but it has been a delicate balancing act, with new activities, such as recreational boating and kayaking, claiming a share of the harbor, and waterfront landowners anxious about protecting their views.
Fisherman Peter Ancich built the net shed in the 1920s. It was acquired by the city as part of Ancich Park in 2012. It is one of only 17 netsheds remaining in Gig Harbor, most of them in private hands. Seven remain working net sheds.
Purse seiners use a large net, towed by a skiff, which is closed like a purse to capture fish. After each season, the nets need to be dried — usually stretched out along a dock — to prevent rotting in storage. Until the 1950s, Gig Harbor fishermen used cotton nets, which had to be tarred before use. Nylon replaced cotton after World War II, but the nets still need to be stretched and dried.
Years of effort
Fishing vessel owners, especially those with smaller boats without home sheds, have been lobbying the city for several years to reopen the Ancich pier and shed for shared used among commercial boats. A survey taken by the Commercial Fishermen’s Club found that about 29 local vessel owners, ranging from crabbers to purse seiners, would be interested in using the pier.
The Ancich net shed is still in pretty good shape, fishermen have said. The roof was replaced in the 1950s, but the frame and siding materials are largely in original condition, according to the parks department.
Under the proposed ordinance — and rules that are still in the writing stage — vessels would have access to the pier on a “first come, first served” basis, for a maximum of four hours to land or load gear or catch. Because of tides and the short length of the dock, that will limit use, in practice, to two or three vessels a day.
There won’t be any sort of formal signup, and boat owners won’t need to reserve space along the pier.
“We’re going to leave it the fishermen how that will work,” Langhelm said in an interview. “The fishermen are pretty confident they can sort it out themselves, and the city won’t have to get involved.”
Fishing vessel owners would have to apply to the city for authorization to use the pier, however. Skippers will pay a one-time fee for a key or a key code which will allow them to remove the traffic bollards to allow vehicles onto the pier, to open the sliding gate at the entrance, and open the doors of the net shed.
Fisherman can use the net shed to store or repair gear for between 10 to 21 days — the exact time frame is yet to be decided.
Fishermen get priority
Commercial fishing vessels will have priority over all others for tying up to the pier, and their activities on the dock will take priority over other uses, such as casual use by tourists.
“If someone wanted to have a wedding or a picnic on the dock, and a commercial fishing vessel needed that space, they would have to give way,” Langhelm told the council during the March 4 study session.
Council members expressed concern about conflicts, and several urged that signage explain why fishermen have priority,.
“I could almost see fistfights breaking out,” joked Council Member Tracie Markley.
Langhelm pointed out that most activity on the pier would be before and after the summer tourist season, since the fleet is usually in Alaska or other waters between June and September.
Tourists and other can still watch the fishermen at work from the observation platform above the restrooms in the park, noted Markley. “People will still get to watch what they do, which will be really cool,” she said.
The draft ordinance would also allow unspecified “commercial activities” on the pier, which would leave the way open for a seasonal fish market, wholesale fish auctions, gear sales or other activities involving buying and selling.
Council members suggested that the language be tightened to exclude commercial events not directly rated to fishing.
“We don’t want to end up with somebody selling fireworks off the back of his boat,” remarked Council Member Spencer Abersold.
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 12:07 PM.