Port Royal, Ports panel likely to extend shrimp dock agreement, officials say

Port Royal town council will likely renew an expired agreement between the town and the S.C. State Ports Authority next week that will keep the 11th Street shrimp dock up and running through Dec. 31.

The previous agreement expired July 15, but both town officials and the Ports Authority, which owns the property, have signaled they will continue letting shrimpers launch from the dock while the authority tries to sell the port of Port Royal, town manager Van Willis said at a Wednesday workshop.

"Shrimping season is about to really kick in," Willis said. "Obviously we need to keep the dock open."

Willis and council members said their primary concern is ensuring enough shrimpers operate from the dock and profit to make it worth the town's investment.

"As far as I'm concerned, we want the shrimp boats here forever," council member Vernon DeLoach said, "but we need more boats."

About four or five boats are using the dock this month. That number fluctuates monthly, dock manager Mark Smith said last week.

Port Royal resident Scott Hammet told council members he considers the shrimp boats an integral part of the community.

"The pure aesthetics of having working shrimp boats is just invaluable to this town," he said.

Council members will vote on the agreement at its Wednesday meeting.