Rota agencies clean up beach of shipwreck

Several government agencies on Rota have teamed up with a private company to remove the metal remains of a commercial fishing vessel that had been shipwrecked off the coast of the island.

On April 8, 2008 the Rota Coastal Resources Management, Department of Public Safety’s Boating and Safety Division, Department of Public Works, Marianas Visitor Authority, Division of Environmental Quality, Division of Fish and Wildlife and D&J Equipment Rentals and the Office of the Mayor continued the removal of the vessel’s metal debris, which started in September 2007.

The Nam Sung #62 a commercial fishing vessel shipwrecked off the coast of Tatqua, Rota Island on July 20, 1982. The gross tonnage of the all-metal vessel weighed some 287 tons and measured a total length of 139.43 ft from foreside of the stern to the aft side of the stern post. Since then, it has sat on the reef-crest, weathering away storm after storm and breaking apart from the great force of the waves constantly colliding with the vessel’s dilapidated hulls. Over the years, pieces of the deteriorated vessel have been scattered throughout the lagoon and shore-line, leaving jagged metal debris embedded in the sand and substrate of the lagoon waters, degrading the marine environment and polluting the shoreline. Marine debris that have broken off have the potential to cause damage to nearby coral colonies as it is pushed around by the agitation of the forceful wave action. The largest two sections of the remaining vessels hulls are still intact and rest just adjacent the sandy white beach and have created a potential entrapment hazard for recreational beach users and tourists who frequent the lagoon waters. Government agencies worked together in a joint effort with the owner of D&J Equipment Rentals and his employees by collecting metal debris throughout the beach and lagoon waters daily.

Rota CRMO’s William Pendergrass said: “We were able to remove an estimated five 10-ton truck loads and fill a lowboy with the capacity of 30 tons twice with the vessel’s debris, an accumulated collection of 80 tons. We were able to remove all the vessel debris from the shoreline and lagoon with the exception of six pieces which were to far to reach from the shoreline and the two largest sections of the vessel’s hulls still left intact sitting near the beach.”

Funding received from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation in the amount of $6,000 contributed to the purchase of fuel and materials required to conduct the vessel debris removal project and its outreach activities.

The owner of D&J Equipment Rentals, Fidel Mendiola, and his employees were instrumental in making this activity after they donated their equipment, time, and labor at no charge to the government.

“The funds for this project are limited but this combined effort to clean our beaches and coastal waters of marine debris are evidence of a community interested in creating a clean and healthful environment for the benefit of all,” said Pendergrass.

The vessel removal project of the Nam Sung is tentatively scheduled to resume on May 5, 2008, to attempt to remove the vessel’s large bow section from the shoreline.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]