Cattewater Harbour Commissioners (CHC) are pleased to announce that work will commence in the coming weeks to extend the Barbican Landing Stage (BLS) to provide up to 60 metres of additional mooring space to help support the local commercial fishing fleet. The new facility is expected to be operational by the end of March 2026.
Following the success of the first extension of the BLS in 2024 by the harbour authority creating the Mayflower pontoons for the local charter fleet, recreational anglers, ferries and wildlife cruises, this new extension will help support Plymouth’s inshore commercial fishing fleet. The quarter of a million pound project is funded by CHC with grant support from the Marine Management Organisation’s Fisheries and Seafood Support fund.
Harbour Master and CEO of Cattewater Harbour Commissioners Captain Richard Allan said:
“Business is continuing to thrive on the waterfront and walk ashore mooring space is in high demand so I am delighted that we are able to extend the overall size of the Barbican Landing Stage and provide appropriate facilities for our inshore commercial fishing fleet to moor and lay while they are waiting to go to sea, or for the lock gates to open and return to their harbour.
“We already do what we can to help support our commercial fishermen, this new facility will help us do more while continuing to support all the other small businesses, commercial work, superyachts and cruise clients that rely upon this maritime hub at the Barbican Landing Stage.
“We are grateful to the Marine Management Organisation for their support and for the fishermen who have worked with us to help bring this project forward”.
“This new extension has been designed and constructed to provide bespoke facilities for the fishermen and their vessels with higher freeboard, dual fendering and power supply so they can plug in, turn off their engines, reduce pollution and fuel costs.”
Plymouth City Council leader Cllr Tudor Evans OBE said:
“It is fantastic to see more investment in Britain’s Ocean City waterfront by Cattewater Harbour Commissioners.
“This project is a game changer for our local fleet, it is going to help with crew fatigue by shortening the working day and reduce fuel costs and emissions by having this new facility that allows them to tie up and switch off”.
Paul Errington, acting Director of Finance and Resources of the Marine Management Organisation said:
“By creating dedicated, safe and efficient berthing for the inshore fleet Cattewater Harbour Commissioners are helping support the long term sustainability and resilience of the local fishing businesses.
“We’re pleased to have supported this investment through the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme and we look forward to seeing the benefits this new extension will bring for the fleet, the wider waterfront economy and the community that depends upon it”.
Clive Palfrey fleet manager for Klyne Trawlers who operate a number of small-scale inshore vessels from Plymouth said:
“Fishing is hard work, the hours unsociable and the conditions are tough, this new facility will really help make a difference. Sometimes tides dictate that our vessels have to make the call to leave their harbour before the lock gates are closed but before the weather is good enough to proceed to the fishing grounds.
“Crew are effectively left dodging and bobbing before the weather clears and they can go fishing. Being able to slip out through the locks and tie up on the BLS gives the crew a chance to plug in to shore power and turn into their bunks until they can proceed to sea, this helps to limit fatigue, saves the cost of diesel and reduces our emissions”.
Local fishermen Brian Tapper said:
“Our scalloper can only work 0700-1900 daily in the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries area due to regulations, but sometimes the tide means crew have to take the vessel through the locks much earlier despite the boat not being able to start fishing before 0700.
“Twelve hour days on a small boat at sea are hard enough without having to show up many hours earlier and take the vessel through the lock gates, and then have to wait to go fishing.
“CHC are mariners themselves, they understand life at sea and it’s fantastic that they and the MMO have supported this project to help make our lives better”.
The new facility will operate on a space available basis and require all fishing vessels to register with the CHC before using it for the first time. The facility is available for temporary mooring for vessels when they cannot enter through the locks or proceed to sea and their fishing grounds, it will not provide full time mooring or landing facilities to fishing vessels.
The pontoon was designed and built by Inland and Coastal https://inlandandcoastal.com/
The engineering and installation is conducted by TMS https://www.tmsmaritime.co.uk/
