With the hoki season in full swing the Greymouth port is operating to capacity, with facilities stretched to the limit.
Port of Greymouth team leader Franco Horridge said 12 fishing boats were coming in and out of port regularly, together with five local boats, although less often.
"It has been a great start to the season so far, and it is good to see boats from outside the region in port," Mr Horridge said.
However, he acknowledged the bar at the entrance to the port was shallow and had informed Maritime New Zealand, which had issued a warning to vessels navigating the bar at high tide.
Talley's and Westfleet are both operating at near capacity, resulting in an overflow of vessels moored in the Blaketown lagoon, but that has highlighted the critical condition of silting in the lagoon, which is well overdue for dredging.
Talley's Greymouth branch manager Geoff Drake said they were all extremely busy, with four boats unloading on a 12-hour turnaround, and operating around the clock.
Mr Drake said they were unloading 100,000kg of hoki every day, weather permitting.
"It is fantastic for us, but the biggest issue is the lagoon. If that is improved we could increase our efficiency and productivity.
"The council need to get active and dredge the port. It is something that has been planned but this has been on going for a number of years now.
If one of our $1 million boats gets stuck in the lagoon I don't think the council would stump up and pay to get it out," Mr Drake said.
Talley's has recently completed a 16m extension to the wharf and unloading facility at the port.
Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said the lagoon had been a struggle for the port for the past 20 years.
He was pleased the fishing industry was going strong, with both Talley's and Westfleet building new wharfs and processing plant.
"We have some of the best sustainable fishing on the West Coast, which all bodes well for this part of the port's future," Mr Kokshoorn said.
- Christopher Stewart
