LUDINGTON, Mich — After a day of restricting fishing hours in Ludington Harbor, authorities have called back the order with hopes anglers will give way to the S.S. Badger.
A number of close calls between fishing boats and the S.S. Badger led authorities in Ludington to restrict when anglers can drop their lines in the channel with Harbormaster Order 24-01.
"Obviously, the Badger is a 410-foot ship and doesn't stop on a dime. It takes between 400- 600 feet to stop when it's moving at half speed, and that creates a dangerous environment. The laws of physics apply, right?" Chief of Police and Harbormaster Christopher Jones said. "So a 410-foot boat will not stop on a dime, and it will always win in a battle with a small 17-18-19-foot boat."
It's the first time law enforcement has prohibited fishing during set hours, and Chief Jones hopes boaters will give the large ferry enough space in the water moving forward.
"There are a lot of people that understand why we did what we did. There are probably just as many people who are very unhappy with what we did. The fishing is really good right now, and they don't want to miss out on those fish. And we understand that, and that's why we tried to tailor the times as tightly as possible around the Badger coming and the Badger going, because we aren't trying to inconvenience or cut people out of catching their fish, but we do need to ensure that they're doing it in a safe manner," Chief Jones said.
While in effect, fishermen gave mixed feedback on the restrictions. Many were in favor of the order that prioritized safety, while others were angered about missing out during prime fishing hours.
"The Badger can't maneuver, so people have to give it the room to get out of here, and if it takes a share for Harbor Patrol in order to get them to move. So be it. It's the right thing to do, and I see it in Muskegon very often, with the cross Lake ferry coming in, people don't move, and somebody's gonna die eventually if they don't start doing something," Steve Zylstra, a fisherman from Muskegon said.
The Ludington Police Department said since last week, numerous fishing boats failed to give way to the S.S. Badger. In some cases, authorities said, the Badger's captain had to take action to avoid a collision.
The harbor is proven to be a great fishing spot for anglers targeting salmon and other species.
But area law enforcement said the channel is a navigation space first and a fishing location second.
The S.S. Badger can't easily maneuver around the many smaller boats that have anchored up in the harbor, authorities said.
The Harbormaster issued Harbormaster Order 24-01 Thursday afternoon.
The order temporarily prohibited fishing and other non-transitory activities within the City of Ludington Harbor for a few hours at a time in the morning and evening hours, matching up with when the S.S. Badger departs and arrives at her port.
Friday afternoon, the Harbormaster rescinded the order after talking with numerous members of the fishing community.
"The passion of the Ludington fishing community was evident during our discussions. Also clear was their understanding and acknowledgment of safety issues. I was impressed with their passion and open-minded approach to this issue," Chief Jones said.