Coast Guard will remove historic Maine fishing boat sunk during January storm

An 83-foot fishing boat that’s sitting at the bottom of New Meadows River in Harpswell is slated to be removed after about seven months.

The Coast Guard, working in coordination with Maine Department of Environmental Protection and other local, state and federal partners, is slated to begin operations to remove the 83-foot boat named the Jacob Pike, which sank during a winter storm in Harpswell on Jan. 10.

The vessel has been a pollution threat in the New Meadows River since its sinking.

The total amount of oil on board is unknown, but it is estimated that the fuel tanks can hold 1,000 gallons. After the vessel sank, the Coast Guard Sector Northern New England’s Pollution Response Team observed significant oil sheening around the vessel, the boat’s owner was ordered to take appropriate action to address the pollution.

However, since the owner was unwilling or unable to take appropriate action, the Coast Guard assumed control of the response.

The Coast Guard has hired pollution removal contractors, who placed floating oil boom around the vessel to contain the spread of the sheen, pumped 400 gallons of oily water mixture out of the submerged vessel and removed 11 marine batteries. However, the risk of diver entanglement in the interior of the vessel prevented additional recovery efforts. The vessel remains surrounded by a boom to prevent the spread of pollution.

The owner has been charged with abandonment of a watercraft. The Coast Guard said the boat’s owner could face charges for the cost of removing the vessel.

The cost to remove the boat and rehabilitate the area is currently estimated to be around $200,000.

The Coast Guard plans to begin removing the vessel later this week weather permitting.

According to the Coast Guard, the Jacob Pike is a wooden fishing vessel built in 1949. The vessel spent most of its service life as a commercial fishing vessel in the Maine sardine fishery. The Jacob Pike is no longer an active commercial fishing vessel, is uninsured and has expired certificates.