C‑Link outlines Westport subsea cable plan; members press for fisheries coordination and route detail

C‑Link Networks president Ryan Wabshaw told the council the Westport cable-landing project has secured permitting for onshore landing infrastructure and has begun conduit and terrestrial trenching work. He said subsea cable customers plan installations starting in 2028–2029 and that the firm is pursuing a 2‑meter burial standard to reduce future conflicts with fishing gear.

"Subsea fiber optic cables are about the size of a garden hose," Wabshaw said, aiming to clarify misconceptions about the infrastructure's scale as members raised concerns about environmental and fisheries impacts. He described plans to use horizontal directional drilling for the shore punch‑out and a mix of jet sled and plow burial offshore. Wabshaw said the firm will avoid marine operations during the Dungeness crab season and plans to start major marine surveys in late 2027.

Members pressed for more precise route mapping and closer coordination with fishing communities. Several speakers asked for advance sharing of survey data and plotter files and for an OFCC‑style coordination service; Wabshaw said the company is developing a local "Westport Marine Link" to provide route review, pre‑survey engagement, a 24/7 hotline and a damage/gear‑loss compensation fund.

Next steps: company to provide contact data and route files for pre‑survey review; council members asked staff to help connect fishery representatives and the project team for follow-up technical meetings.