FISHING

Ed Killer: Fort Pierce's South Bridge catwalks may close to fishing

Ed Killer
Treasure Coast Newspapers
Are anglers' days numbered at South Bridge fishing catwalks? Could be. Plans to complete bridge work include closing the catwalks to fishing activity once the project is finished.

The jack attack was pretty good recently at South Bridge in Fort Pierce. On a sunny Thursday afternoon, the incoming tide pumped through the bridge filling the Indian River Lagoon with salty ocean water. About a dozen anglers lined the more than 1,000-foot- long fishing catwalk connected to the bridge's west landing.

One group of three anglers had a cooler filled with six jacks, a spot, a sheepshead and a nice black drum. Their families were going to enjoy a fish fry later that night. But soon, none of these anglers will be able to fish from this productive spot.

South Bridge, officially dedicated as the Peter P. Cobb Memorial Bridge when it opened in 1974, carries A1A over the Indian River Lagoon to Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce. Unbeknownst to many of the 12,000 motorists who travel back and forth across it daily, are the two catwalks used for fishing which sit below its road deck.

Anglers, most of whom have little or no access to boats, and most of whom who fish there in search of food for their families, have enjoyed using these catwalks for decades. They are located in areas which provide good access to a reasonable chance at catching quality fish. Snook, black drum, sheepshead, snapper, bluefish, sand perch, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more can be caught there.

Jack attack at South Bridge Catwalk in Fort Pierce.

But in October, a construction project began that will help shore up the bridge from erosion (called scouring) which has taken place around its pilings near the floor of the lagoon. The scouring is natural, caused by the rush of the tidal current which runs through the bridge throughout the day, coming in twice and going out twice.

The $7.93 million project overseen by the Florida Department of Transportation is scheduled to be completed by spring of 2020. However, once it is completed, the catwalks will be defined as "observation walks," and fishing from them will not be allowed. Anglers and nearby bait shops are concerned.

"The south bridge catwalks have been a favorite place for me and my friends to fish for snook, second only to Sebastian Inlet's catwalks, for the last 30 years," said Clint Walker, owner of The Fishing Center bait shop in Fort Pierce and lifelong angler. "My customers like the catwalks as a year-round place to fish for many species like the winter migration currently beginning for sand perch (also known as striped mojarra)."

Bill Stuckey, an engineer with The Corradino Group working with FDOT to complete the necessary work on the bridge, explained to me that the agency pulled the minimum required permits to complete the structural portion of the work required. If fishing is to be allowed there, additional permitting would need to be completed in order to satisfy requirements of the Endangered Species Act and more. Those permits would need to be signed off on by federal agencies such as NOAA's National Marine Fisheries, the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or more. It is also unclear at the present time what entity would be required to request the permits. Would it be the City of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, the State of Florida, or another group?

Endangered species swim near the catwalks of the South Bridge in Fort Pierce.

Walker and I are both concerned the prohibition of fishing from the South Bridge catwalks is a societal trend. The City of Fort Pierce did recently build the Melody Lane Fishing Pier, which is a heavily used, well-built asset. But for every fishing access point built in Florida, there are examples of two others closed down to fishing for a variety of reasons.

Soon, the North Bridge construction project, which will result in a span with 85 feet of clearance over the lagoon waters, will get underway. There is a question as to whether a portion of the old bridge will be left in place for anglers, but if it is, which local governmental entity, if any, will take over its maintenance and costs?

Other bridges in recent years have forsaken any planning for land-based angling. The Veterans Memorial Bridge in Palm City and the Ernie Lyons Bridge over Stuart Causeway both left out any access for anglers. The recreational planning committee for Stuart Causeway told me directly they left it out by design after seeing how anglers treat their access at Jensen Beach Causeway, leaving trash lying around and unwanted catches like catfish and stingrays.

As much as I advocate for the shorebound angler, the committee had a good point. Anglers need to do their part and clean up after themselves and demonstrate better ethics. I know this column is preaching to the choir, but I get pretty disgusted by the condition of some of these fishing places when I go, too. 

But if we don't do our part to ensure these places have access in the first place, we can't make sure the spots are well-kept.

Walker said the South Bridge catwalks are important. Anglers can catch three different species of snapper including the summer time favorite, mangrove snapper. Gag grouper, redfish, jacks and more are all important catches for anglers who cannot afford to buy fish at the market.

"Locals fish for these to feed their families and neighbors," Walker explained. "There can be anywhere from five to 50 people fishing for these if the bite is good. It is such a valuable place for the community as Fort Pierce grows. The concern is that we may lose places to fish from if you do not own or can't afford a boat."

There is still time to try keep the area open for fishing. Send an email to Kathleen Dempsey who works with Stuckey. She can be contacted at Kdempsey@corradino.com.

Tell her it's important that the catwalks remain open to fishing. I have.

Ed Killer is the outdoors columnist for Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com, and this column reflects his opinion. Friend him on Facebook at Ed Killer, follow him on Twitter @tcpalmekiller or email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com or call him at 772-221-4201.