Wrecked boats at Canash to be moved by mid-year – official

The wrecked and abandoned boats at Canash beach will be moved by June, David Robin, director of maritime affairs, told SEARCHLIGHT on Friday.{{more}}

The vessels include powerboats, yachts, and an ocean-going ship — “Carla Marina” — that is rusted and shows evidence of parts having been removed.

A property owner at Canash told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday that the boats should be removed.

The property owner, who asked not to be identified, said “Carla Marina” was left at the beach eight or nine years ago.

Robin told SEARCHLIGHT on Friday that “Carla Marina” has been at Canash for “many years”.

Robin, who is also the Receiver of Wrecks, said his office identified the owner last November, just as the one-year notice in the newspaper about his office taking possession of the wreck — a legal requirement — was about to expire.

“… Somebody came forward and identified themselves as the owner, provided the requisite information; so they are already aware that they have to move it,” he said.

Robin further noted two months have passed and said his office needs to “follow up” with the owner.

“The owner identified will have to remove it,” he reiterated, but declined to name the person.

“At this time, I prefer not to. It has been a bit of a sore issue and ongoing. I could do (identify the owner). But give me that bit of latitude,” Robin told SEARCHLIGHT.

Robin said he has not specified to the owner a date by which “Carla Marina” has to be removed.

He said he has to first hear from the owner of the vessel about their plans, after which he will give a deadline.

And the smaller vessels, some of which are half submerged, will have to be removed also.

Robin said his office will have to “deal with that issue of further contacting those additional owners”.

“Certainly, all those wrecks will be removed, I would say, within the first half of this year,” he said.

Robin further told SEARCHLIGHT it is unacceptable for boat owners to abandon their vessels at the nation’s beaches.

But he said disposal of those vessels is a consideration for several Government agencies.

“While we may deal with wrecks and salvage, we are not the entity that deals with dumping at sea,” he said.

“Dumping at sea is an issue under legislation, where the Ministry of Health is the administering agency by law. Depending on where you dump or intend to have a vessel dumped, … those things have to be coordinated … so that they can make a determination.”

He said “dump” is “the language of the conventions and the law because it is not dump as in discard”.

He said a number of state agencies will contribute to a determination of the final location of a vessel that is to be “dumped”.

“… and then the Ministry of Health acts on the advice it receives. That is basically how it has to be done — properly and correctly.

“If you are an owner of a vessel and it is there … and the Receiver of Wrecks has been in touch with you and you want to have it moved, it is not just pick up and dump it anywhere you…” Robin said. (kentonchance@searchlight.vc)