Funds from this grant award will be used to expand transient boater infrastructure at cricket cove marina in little river, south carolina

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $133,680 to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources under the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act (CFDA 15.622) on July 1, 2025, for a three-year project period concluding June 30, 2028. The award funds the installation of a high-volume fuel pump system at Cricket Cove Marina in Little River, South Carolina, designed to serve transient recreational vessels 26 feet or greater in length. The new fuel infrastructure will be strategically located on transient docks adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway, approximately three miles from the Little River Inlet, providing convenient refueling services for recreational boaters transiting to and from the open ocean.

The project addresses documented demand for transient boater infrastructure in the region, where significant vessel traffic along the Intracoastal Waterway currently lacks adequate fueling facilities. Cricket Cove Ventures LLC serves as the sub-grantee partner on this Tier I award, which represents a smaller funding tier within the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act program. This marina expansion aligns with the federal program's objectives of enhancing public access to waterways and supporting recreational boating amenities through improved docking and facility infrastructure for transient vessels.

The area surrounding the marina has significant transient vessel traffic due to the proximity to the intracoastal water (ICW), but many facilities lack the fueling infrastructure to accommodate these vessels. This project will support the addition of a new, high-volume fuel pump system located on the transient docks adjacent to the waterway. This system s location on the waterway and a short distance from the little river inlet (3 miles) provides a quick stop for recreational transient vessels over 26 feet in length on their way north south and a safe, convenient place to fuel when transiting the to from the open ocean.