- Long-standing dispute over the use of Bouley Bay continues.
- Boat owners and commercial fishermen may have to apply for permits to use the facilities if they don’t resolve their differences.
- Who are the Bouley Bay Boat Owners Association? Find out below.
- Watch a video of Bouley Bay from the air.
A GROUP of boat owners and two commercial fishermen who have a long-standing dispute over the use of Bouley Bay pier may have to apply for permits to use the facilities if they do not resolve their differences.
Commercial fishermen Andy Sullivan and his son David have clashed with members of the Bouley Bay Boat Owners Association for several years, with allegations of equipment being sabotaged coming from both sides.
- The Bouley Bay Boat Owners Association was formed in 1965 by local Jersey fishermen and boat owners.
- The Association is run by an elected committee of ten, whose members take on the various roles of president, treasurer, secretary etc.
- The committee organise social events and provide a point of contact for members and prospective members.
- The association liaises with the Harbours Committee to provide and maintain the pier facilities for their members use.
- They also offer members a number of social events during the year including fishing competitions, trips, seminars and social events, such as an annual dinner and Christmas lunch.
- Find out more here.
Andy Sullivan has been dropping lobster pots for 47 years from Bouley Bay and passed on his knowledge to his son David, who eventually bought his own boat and started his own business.
Both were members of the 100-strong BBBOA until 2012, when they became the first in the club’s history to have their membership terminated.
In an attempt to resolve the ‘hostile’ dispute, former Harbourmaster Barry Goldman drew up an agreement which covers parking and the use of equipment on the pier.
Both parties were told they faced sanctions if it was breached.
The members of BBBOA have already signed the agreement but the Sullivans refused, claiming it was unfair and that the sanctions damaged their lobster-potting businesses.
In February, the pair made a complaint about the Economic Development Minister to the States Complaints Board about being forced to sign the agreement, and the board found that it ‘had the potential to be discriminatory and oppressive’ towards the Sullivans.
In a ministerial decision released today, Senator Lyndon Farnham said that if further reports were made ‘in bad faith’ to the Harbourmaster by either party, then it may be necessary for him to abandon attempts to regulate the use of the bay with the ‘medium-touch route’ in favour of ‘something heavier, such as permits’.
His response stated: ‘It is not something that I would wish to see happen unless lighter-touch alternatives have failed.
‘In such circumstances, it would be necessary to consider issues such as permit charges, and possibly giving different rights to high-frequency users which would lead to a similar approach in terms of different charges.’
He also said it was ‘wrong’ of the board to suggest that separate terms could be drawn up for commercial and other users, possibly carrying different sanction regimes.
The board had felt that a one-sanction-fits-all approach could be ‘materially oppressive’ and unfair to more regular users of the facility, but Senator Farnham said it was ‘clear and precise’.
The minister said he had followed up on the board’s recommendations by writing a ‘letter of comfort’ about sanctions and their flexibility to all Bouley Bay users, and appointing an officer at the Ports of Jersey to have direct responsibility for the bay.
He agreed with the board’s recommendation that harbour users could get prior approval from the Ports of Jersey if they wanted to repair their boats on the harbour, to avoid it becoming a breach.
Senator Farnham said: ‘I am encouraging everybody to try and find a way through this that is reasonable and fair, so everybody can enjoy the facilities together.’
