Sparks were flying by Albion Fisheries last week.
Welders were busy fixing steel supports between new pilings that go three metres into bedrock so they can support a new concrete deck for the fish plant and other wharf users at the end of the Queen Charlotte causeway.
The Queen Charlotte Harbour Authority had hoped to get the work finished by March 31, but it’s now on track to be done by April 9 or 10.
RELATED: New Queen Charlotte fish plant in the works
Besides the new pilings and deck, crews with Pacific Industrial & Marine shortened the fish plant building by about 14 metres, rebuilt its end wall, and are rebuilding the wave wall below it.
Once the new concrete deck is finished, it will have galvanized handrails, making it easier for passengers on board small cruise ships such as National Geographic’s Sea Bird or Sea Lion.
“The National Geographic people flew in last week to check it out,” says Wayne Chattell, superintendent with Pacific Industrial & Marine. They had been expecting the new deck to be shorter — it will be about 40 metres long — so they went away happy, he said.
“It’ll look nice when it’s done.”
About half the size of the old plant, the new fish plant will include a shellfish-processing room for future Haida Gwaii shellfish businesses along with freezers and a filleting room for Albion, which processes commercial and sport-caught fish.
