After years of talk and a whole lot of paperwork, Gig Harbor officials say the long‑promised commercial fishing homeport at Ancich Waterfront Park is finally headed into active construction this year. Major elements will be built off‑site over the summer, with crews expected on the water later in the year and on‑site work wrapping by the end of 2026. The project is meant to bring back working moorage near downtown and give the peninsula's small commercial fishing fleet a reliable home base.
Funding and the price tag
City records put the total project cost at roughly $3.48 million, covering design, permitting and construction, according to The News Tribune. That sum will be cobbled together from city funds, regional grants and private contributions, local reporting shows. One key boost is a $200,000 contribution from the Gig Harbor Commercial Fishermen's Club, which city leaders have already accepted, Gig Harbor Now reported.
What the homeport will include
The approved layout centers on new finger docks and floats that together will create moorage for up to 17 commercial fishing vessels while still keeping public shoreline access and the existing netshed at Ancich Park. The configuration is the product of roughly a decade of planning and reflects a preferred alternative selected by the city council. As outlined by the City of Gig Harbor, the design is intended to strike a balance between a working waterfront and a public gathering spot.
Timeline and permits
City staff outline a tight procurement calendar. Advertising for construction bids is slated for mid‑ to late‑April, followed by about four weeks for contractors to submit proposals and a contract award roughly three weeks after bids are opened. Pre‑fabrication would begin this summer, with in‑water assembly and final work targeted to finish by late 2026, the city says. A biological opinion has been submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and "the USACE can now finalize and issue the city’s federal permit," the City of Gig Harbor said in a news release.
Why the work window matters
In‑water construction in Puget Sound is limited to protect migrating and spawning fish, and federal guidance generally confines marine work to a seasonal window that runs from about mid‑July through mid‑February, according to the Federal Register. That narrow runway is why the city is leaning so heavily on pre‑fabrication and a compressed bidding schedule: pile driving, float installation and other in‑water tasks all have to land within that allowed period. If permits are delayed or bids arrive higher than expected, the calendar, and likely the final cost, could slide into the following year.
Local reaction and next steps
For many on the waterfront, the latest update feels like a promise finally edging toward reality. "It's all good news, long time coming," commercial fisherman Guy Hoppen told The News Tribune, while noting that moorage in Gig Harbor has grown scarcer and more expensive. With permits in final review and procurement dates now on the books, city staff say they plan to post public updates as bids are opened and contracts are awarded.
If the schedule holds, contractors could start mobilizing this summer and the homeport could be usable by late 2026. In the meantime, the city is lining up required mitigation work, preparing to advertise the construction package and urging qualified marine contractors to get their proposals ready.
