Boat fee plan making waves

NSW Maritime has warned Minnamurra residents who moor their boats on the Minnamurra River that they are leaving their vessels there illegally.

Just over a fortnight ago, stickers were placed on all boats on the river informing the owners their boats were illegally moored and requesting them to contact NSW Maritime or risk having further action taken.

The senior boating service officer at NSW Maritime's Wollongong office, Wayne Langshaw, said the boats were damaging the regrowth of sensitive mangrove areas along the river.

But residents are sceptical about this.

"I've personally had my boat in the river for the past 45 years and now I've been advised the boats are damaging the environment," resident Alison Correia said.

She said she had been told that all boats moored there would have to be registered and would have to pay an annual mooring fee.

The majority of the boats kept on the river are "tinnies" and would usually not have to be registered because they are less than 5.5 metres long and either have no motor or have one with a power rating of less than 4.0 kilowatts, or 5 horsepower.

However, all boats that are subject to a mooring licence must be registered.

Mr Langshaw said that although NSW Maritime would call a meeting with boat owners after a majority of them had contacted the organisation, he could see a simple solution.

"These vessels are of a size that they can be removed and stored on land, e.g. at their owners' homes," he said.

"This would cause no damage (to the mangroves); there would be no mooring licence and no registration needed."

When this was put to Ms Correia, she said that would be possible for some people, but not in her case.

"I personally can't do what he is suggesting," she said. "I'm a single woman, I can't get my boat out on my own and I would have to get a trailer and a towbar and help to get it out of there.

"Half those boats there should be removed because they're not being used. But from my point of view, the boats that are specifically residents' boats have every right to be there."

She said residents should be able to get a permit for their boats similar to residential parking permits provided to people living on busy streets in Sydney. She also was concerned about the cost to residents, who she said already paid some of the highest rates in the municipality.

Mooring licenses for boats less than 7m long cost between $166 and $310 annually, depending on the classification of the area. Registration was $43 up to 3m long then $8 a further half metre.

Ms Correia said she understood NSW Maritime was looking at building concrete and chain moorings across the sandy fronts of the river.

She was concerned about the impact that would have on the environment and the safety of people using the river, such as children swimming.

Mr Langshaw said that proposal was just one that had been put forward, but nothing would be decided until after discussion with the boat owners.