Return to Port Royal shrimping slow going after fire
But the operation's manager thinks a contingency plan could take some time.
The burned market housed the equipment needed to clean and pack the shrimp. The town received permission from the
Morris said purchasing a new ice machine will require an insurance check and for it to be shipped from
"It takes probably longer than a week to get (the ice machine) up here," Morris said. "They don't keep those things just laying around."
The amenities destroyed by the fire are essential, shrimpers said.
"You want your product to be fresh when you come back to offload it," said
Abner has another stake in the fire damage. A relative's car he was using was parked in front of the seafood market and burned during the fire. The melted sedan was still there Thursday, waiting on insurance claims adjusters to complete their work.
Investigators ruled out arson and said an electrical issue could have been the cause.
The fire early Sunday morning destroyed the town's seafood market, which had been open to the public only a few weeks. The lost ice machine had provided 7,000 pounds of ice each day.
A vat to wash the shrimp, refrigerator, freezer and scale were also among the equipment consumed in the blaze. A forklift was among the few items spared, Morris said.
The dock serves several local shrimpers and fisherman and at times accommodates boats from out of state. Morris said boats from
Shrimper
"It's a blow to the industry overall itself, because we have very little infrastructure to start with," Smith said.
Abner has shrimped since he was in sixth grade and for more than 20 years in
He characterized the setback as just another in a tough business.
Abner said his boat has caught fire three times. One fire, while the boat was docked, forced him to rebuild the entire interior.
He's faced other difficulties. He was alone on a return trip to
Fluctuating fuel prices, high maintenance costs, imported seafood and hard-bargaining buyers have also made life difficult, Abner said.
But he remains optimistic.
"It's just a matter of time, I'm going to do very, very good," Abner said. "I smell it coming. This is a business you have to stick with."
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