State of Careys Bay wharf worrying fishermen

Dunedin commercial fishermen are "totally anxious" about the need to maintain and upgrade the ageing Careys Bay Wharf.

"We’re extremely worried," Port Chalmers Fishermen’s Co-operative Society Ltd president Ant Smith said yesterday.

Eighteen fishing vessels skippered by co-operative society members, and several other charter or scientific vessels, were based at the wharf, which was continuing to deteriorate.

It was crucial the situation was not allowed to drift for another couple of years, to the point where lack of maintenance and upgrading made the Port Otago Ltd-owned wharf unsafe to operate on, leaving the fishing fleet without a base, Mr Smith said.

He remained optimistic about the long-term situation, but a collaborative effort by all concerned, including higher payments by fishing boat users, was necessary to secure a win/win outcome for boat operators and the city economy.

"It definitely needs to be done," Mr Smith said.

Dunedin clearly benefited from the multimillion-dollar income of the fishing fleet and crayfish operations and from associated fish processing, dry dock and other related activities near the wharf, he said.

Recreational boat users and operators of small commercial boats, including expedition vessels, have previously raised concerns about a lack of good-quality mooring facilities in Otago Harbour.

Dunedin mariner Mark Hammond last week moved his 18m-long, former expedition boat Maia to Lyttelton, severing a 30-year home port link with Dunedin because of a lack of long-term mooring facilities for his vessel in Otago Harbour.

Several commentators, including Mr Hammond, have pointed out that Port Otago Ltd’s mainly commercial focus has made it hard to provide sufficient good berths for recreational and small commercial boats in the port.

The Steamer Basin marina where his vessel, built in the city in 2005, had long been based is to be demolished by Port Otago, after falling into disrepair.

Mr Hammond recently praised an initiative by Port Otago Ltd general manager marine Sean Bolt to commission a marina designer to consider a big expansion of the Otago Yacht Club’s marina to accommodate visiting recreational vessels and others based in the harbour.

This move could help save the harbour from a "Third World" lack of recreational boat facilities, he said.

Mr Smith said he had been involved in a positive, open dialogue with Mr Bolt, but believed talks with the Otago Regional Council, the owners of Port Otago Ltd, would also be required.

The collaborative approach—involving the port company, the regional council, the Dunedin City Council and boat users— outlined by Mr Bolt to help the recreational boat issues would also be a good model for helping resolve the Careys Bay wharf issues, he said.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz