Dear Sir:

Today’s December 2 press released in The Virginian Pilot of a $2.8 million investment and 70 additional employees, in addition to 180 already employed, for a “Wanchese” seafood plant at Suffolk is an excellent example of how Dare County has lost and will continue to lose economic benefits and much needed non-seasonal jobs because of an unstable Oregon Inlet.

Numerous projects such as this one were once committed to the “new” seafood industrial project at Wanchese Harbor, subject to the deepening and permanent stabilization of Oregon Inlet.

After a nationwide declaration of war by the environmental community, all efforts to construct jetties at Oregon Inlet were cancelled. In fact one of the major factors in the sale of Wanchese Fish Company to its current Canadian owner was its inability to have access to its trawler fleet and the catch it provided.

Future disappointing events relative to the inability of even our sportfishing fleet to navigate Oregon Inlet or even serious impacts on the new bridge may occur as a result of a shallow and very dangerous shifting inlet.

Alvah H. Ward Jr.

Manteo

READ MORE IN OUR OPINION SECTION HERE.