Final Katrina-battered shrimp boat rescued in Alabama

Shrimp boats were flung far and wide, and literally left hung out to dry near the Alabama Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Tara Hutchison, press secretary for Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, said attempts to obtain help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not yield a timely response. “There were 23 boats left on land owned by 22 families who did not have insurance,” Hutchison said. “It’s an impoverished area and the shrimpers needed to be back at work.”

So Riley requested funding from the Bush-Clinton Katrina fund to remove stranded shrimp boats from involuntary dockings on land and return them to their rightful place at sea.

After several trips to Bayou La Batre, Ala., to survey the situation and with $1.6 million in aid from the team of former presidents, the final marooned vessel was rescued last month.

The first boat, the Captain Justin, was returned to water on May 23. The 80-foot boat, Rip Tide, was returned to the water Sept. 23.

Riley said he was very pleased to hear the good news. “It’s a great day and I’m glad it’s finally here,” Riley said. “It could take years for some parts of our coast to fully recover from Hurricane Katrina, but this is another sign that we are moving forward.”