LOCAL anglers and boaters alike have welcomed news that the Coffs Harbour City Council has commissioned a small suction dredge to remove a sand bar at the entrance to the Coffs Harbour boat ramp basin.
The dredging, set to being this week, will remove the plug of sand that has built up rapidly over recent months and creating disruption for boaters and threatening this year’s Easter Fishing Classic and the Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Classic in June.
President of the Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club, Bill Mabey said of the planned dredging, “we commend Coffs City Council for taking this action which clearly demonstrates that both short term and long term solutions to issues at the boat ramp are high on the council agenda”.
Council will not be closing the boat ramp while the dredging is occurring, however there may be some minor disruption.
Mabey said, “I am sure that boaters will be happy to put up with some minor inconvenience in the lead up to the Easter Fishing Classic if it means that the safety issues that have become so evident in recent months are mitigated.”
The Easter Fishing Classic and the Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Classic are just two of 35 plus events that the Deep Sea Fishing Club run on the Harbour each year, significantly impacting the local economy. Contestants in both events can have peace of mind that the sand build-up at the entrance to the boat ramp and associated safety issues have been fixed.
Updates on progress with the boat ramp upgrade and entry forms for the Easter Fishing Classic can be found at the club’s website www.deepseafishingclub.com.au.
