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The President of the Guernsey Boatowner’s Association said he is “genuinely concerned” for the future of the island’s leisure boating industry, after an attempt to stop incoming mooring fee increases failed.
Mooring fees for boat owners will increase above inflation next spring, after a group of deputies, self-named the Moorings Group, failed to annul STSB’s plans.
The States Trading Supervisory Board will increase fees based on the size of vessels by between 12% and 45%, but won’t proceed with continued annual hikes for the following two years pending further consultation.
“We are obviously very disappointed with the result of 17/16 votes against the annulment proposition brought by Deputy Gavin St Pier and his supporters,” said Nick Guillemette.
“I am genuinely concerned for the future of our leisure boating industry which until now has been thriving. STSB and Guernsey Ports 20-30% increases for next year will definitely cause 25-30% of current owners to consider selling their boats which saddens me as this will undoubtedly affect their well being.”
Despite his disappointment, Mr Guillemette said two positive results have fallen out of the debate.
The first is the States’ Trading Supervisory Board’s intention to revise their proposals for 2025 and 2026, and the second is a spotlight on competition law.
The GBA and the Guernsey Marine Traders Association reached out to the Guernsey Competition and Regulatory Authority as a “last resort” to stop the incoming mooring fee increases. The Regulator subsequently said it couldn’t intervene because The States of Guernsey is able to regulate the prices itself.
“It seems morally wrong that the Guernsey Competition & Regulatory Authority (GCRA) do not have existing powers to either investigate or regulate any of the States commercial operations when States of Guernsey departments impose price increases way above the GRPI (Guernsey retail price index) without any brake on the system,” said Mr Guillemette.
“This weakness in the Competition Law needs to be addressed and duly amended if the Guernsey public are to have faith in the system.”
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