Construction of a Marginal Wharf at the Barre-de-Cocagne (Cormierville) Small Craft Harbour, New Brunswick

The Barre-de-Cocagne (Cormierville) Small Craft Harbour (SCH)'s configuration is characterized by infrastructure that extends from the upland at the northern and southern ends of the property to form an enclosed basin.  The infrastructure includes an earthen access road that connects marginal wharf (SCH Facility Number (#) 407) to pier wharf (#403), which defines the eastern harbour boundary.  The access road is protected on the seaward side by a rubblemound breakwater (#301) and on the basin side by rock protection. 

 

The proposed project will involve the construction of a new marginal wharf (#408), measuring approximately 42 m long and 9 m wide that will encapsulate the access road and connect wharf structure #403 to wharf structure #407.  Dredging will be required in the basin in front to the proposed wharf in order to provide safe navigational access and maneuverability within the harbour.  The dredge volume is estimated at 480 cubic meters place measure (cmpm) and the design dredge grade is 1.5 m below chart datum. 

 

The construction of the new marginal wharf will first require partial demolition of the upper section and inside of the access road to facilitate the new wharf construction, including the rock that is located on the basin side.  The existing access road will remain in-situ and will be encapsulated by a new king pile wall structure (i.e., steel H piles and concrete panels also known as a ‘Berlin wall').  The H piles will be drilled and socketed in place every 3.0 m along the length of the access road and tied back near the top with steel rods to concrete anchor blocks for lateral stability.  Pre-cast concrete panels will be lowered in place between the piles, the new structure will be infilled and a new cast-in-place concrete deck installed over the top fill layer.  A layer of rip-rap will be placed all along the bottom of the new wall for scour protection. 

 

To provide enhanced storm protection for the new wharf, breakwater structure #301 will be topped up to an elevation of 5.5 m above chart datum with salvaged and imported amour stone.  A new electrical and lighting system will be installed on the wharf and tied into the existing system at the harbour.

 

The work is expected to be conducted using large commercial vehicles and equipment for heavy civil construction such as excavators, cranes, front-end loaders, and trucks operating from the upland and existing structures.  Upland areas of the SCH will likely be used as a staging area for equipment storage and as a lay-down area for demolition and construction materials such as treated timber, steel piles, concrete panels, armour stone and aggregates.

 

Construction activities are anticipated to commence in September 2025 and be completed by the end of March 2027.  Project commencement is, however, subject to DFO-SCH operational priorities and funding, as well as the completion of regulatory approval processes, therefore work may be delayed.  The scope of the environmental effects determination (subject to S.82 of the Impact Assessment Act) will, therefore, be based on the works being completed over a period of 18 months commencing within a period of 5 years following the determination of significance of environmental effects. 

 

The Barre-de-Cocagne (Cormierville) SCH is a core fishing harbour that was developed to serve the fishing industry in the area.  Facilities at the harbour include marginal and pier wharves, breakwaters, stone protection, a launching ramp and an upland dredge material containment cell.  The main purpose of the proposed project is to construct a new wharf to increase the berthing capacity and improve the operating conditions of the harbour.  Currently the main berthing structures are connected by an earthen access road that sustains erosion during storms, thereby reducing the overall functionality of the harbour.  As the existing and proposed structures are essential to the sustainability of the harbour, the only alternative to the project would be for it not to be completed and eventually abandon the harbour completely.  Since this is not currently a viable option, DFO-SCH considered design alternatives and selected the option of raising the elevation of the existing armour stone and building a Berlin wall on the basin side of the harbour as the most technical and economically feasible construction approach.

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Latest update

Notice of Determination

October 6, 2025 – The Small Craft Harbours program of Fisheries and Oceans Canada as well as Transport Canada have determined that the construction of a marginal wharf at the Barre-de-Cocagne (Cormierville) Small Craft Harbour in New Brunswick, is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on areas within federal jurisdiction and can, therefore, proceed.  Environmental effects on areas within provincial jurisdiction will be addressed through applicable provincial legislation and processes.

 

This determination was based on a consideration of the following:

 

  • Potential impacts on rights and interests of Indigenous peoples;
  • Any shared community and Indigenous knowledge;
  • Comments received from the public;
  • Potential impacts to the following environmental components:
    • Air Quality
    • Aquatic Species and Habitat
    • Avian Species and Habitat
    • Health, Social, and Economic Conditions
    • Marine Sediments
    • Navigation
    • Sensory Disturbance (air/water, noise, and vibration)
    • Structures, Sites, or Things of Historical, Archaeological, Paleontological, or Architectural Significance
    • Terrestrial Species and Habitat
    • Terrestrial Soils
    • Water (marine, ground, surface, drainage, water levels, flow, etc.); and
  • Application of technically and economically feasible mitigation measures (including but not limited to those listed in the attached document).

 

With this determination, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada may exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.

Participate

Contacts

Planning and Environment Group
Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Small Craft Harbours, Maritimes and Gulf Regions
343 University Avenue
Gulf Fisheries Centre
Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 5K4
Email: DFO.SCHMGEnvironment-MGEnvironnementPPB.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Barre-de-Cocagne (Cormierville) DFO-SCH (New Brunswick)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Ports and Harbours

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2025-05-30

  • Proponent

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Small Craft Harbours

  • Authorities

    • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
    • Transport Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    89787

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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