I've recently received a letter re: review of environmental factors (REF) Basically if I don't change anything I might not have to do anything ? This possibly has a bearing on the dragging out of reissuing of licences after a vessel is sold. Out of curiosity has anyone been issued with a nsw mooring license in the last say 12 - 6 months ? I'm talking established mooring fields
I got the same letter and it did make me suspicious of what the intentions were. But then I'm moored in a pretty popular / busy area on Lake Macquarie and thought there would be a fair amount of uproar if they started removing moorings.
I guess the intent could be to push people into marinas. That would probably have a fairly significant effect on reducing the number of boats as those that found the cost of this prohibitive decided they couldn't afford to have their boat any longer.
But then left abandoned,with bays full of decaying boats .
Seems to be too hard to enforce any compliance,as have most boats in our bay,not boarded since Covid. None have sunk,but only function is as wildlife refuge = Seagulls/shags .
Similiar situation re;abandoned cars,as all too hard until incinerated !
Solution ??
It appears it's a nsw wide mail out. ( becoming known as the REF letter) The day after I started this thread I rang maritime as I want to change the boat on my mooring, I'm still waiting for the call back from the Bso or someone. I will make a follow up call/ email in the near future. It appears that different locations have different issues & there's no guide lines, so doing nothing is safe, as usual new legislation amendments are open to interpretation, ie it's ok to service your mooring just don't change it ? ... my guess it's a half baked idea to get rid of mooring minders that will have the completely opposite effect, as it stands if someone wants to swap their mooring minder for the dream boat it can't happen, as folks realise you can't get a mooring anymore then older boats will become even less sellable and be left on their moorings. I suggest ring maritime number on the letter and make an inquiry, what does it mean for me in my bay in my situation ? There's no mooring field boaters lobby group so everyone make a noise ! And maybe the squeaky wheel might get some grease, maybe.
There are a couple of vacant moorings in our Bay . In better spots,as one is on shoreline.with the other on the outside .
Looked into moving,but the process was expensive/protracted,and then you had to find someone who understood the idea of a change !!
Result = 2 vacant moorings,which is a bureaucratic result,as now nothing happening .
If another government department is involved,always leads to inertia .
Select to expand quotewoko said..
I've recently received a letter re: review of environmental factors (REF) Basically if I don't change anything I might not have to do anything ? This possibly has a bearing on the dragging out of reissuing of licences after a vessel is sold. Out of curiosity has anyone been issued with a nsw mooring license in the last say 12 - 6 months ? I'm talking established mooring fields
I received a NSW mooring licence for a mooring in Sydney in May.
I haven't received a REF letter, but that may be because the mooring is not in an area designated as a marine park.
That's interesting. The Clarence isn't a marine park though it is subject to native title. Sounds like planter has a similar headache to us here. And if I remember rightly there was a reply to your thread about moorings in marine park from someone in port Stephens who also had issues. It is particularly frustrating as no one I've spoken to can give any straight answers
