EA compliance team visit to check for licences

[zimbo]

Received this from my marina manager this morning.

I have been contacted by the Environment Agency compliance team who are doing a spot check of the boats on the marina that are on the water. This will be on Friday 24th June. They are looking for your 2022 river licence to be displayed. I assume they will look from the outside of the boat or poke their heads inside to look so please make sure it is obvious. … These spot checks are quite a normal thing for them to do, and they get round to us every now and then. I think there is a new team though, and there are renewed efforts by the EA on this matter.

If they can not see a 2022 licence the enforcement team will be contacting you either through their system if your boat is registered; or I assume through us if your boat is not registered with them. We do not have much choice but to provide information they may require, including your contact details. I am not sure what their protocol is or what penalties there may be. I would however suggest making sure you have your 2022 licence displayed before the 24th June.

Anyone else had such a visit recently? (And I do have a licence... )

 

[Quint]

Never mind about all the boats in marinas that are not being used ! Probably being targeted because they are sitting ducks ! What about the dozens if not hundreds of boats on the river its self not being targeted because it probably involves more effort on their behalf, In my opinion the unlicensed Live aboard boats on the river are the ones causing all the mooring problems

 

[oldgit]

Recent survey of the number of boats on the river verses the number of registrations on file suggests the situtation is perhaps not quite as dire as predicted.
There was some fuss not long ago with some folks were erroneously under the impression that unless they were on/ in the main navigation they did not have to pay the registration fees the rest of us have to pay.
Unfortunately for them a court did not agree and they have fallen silent.
Here on the Medway EA officals have the authority to enter marinas and other off river locations to check for registration compliance.
Not sure about the Thames. It would perhaps help if all the marinas insisted on seeing a valid river licence as well as proof of insurance before providing any boat a berth and checked it annually.

 

[Mark26]

They do indeed check inside Thames Marinas

 

[Northern Star]

They came around our marina a few years ago pre covid so another visit should be in order as it is now a condition of mooring at the marina that you have a valid EA registration.

I think several freeloaders were kicked off following the last visit.

 

[Gavin E]

I suspect that a tour of the marinas is chosen as it will be simple enough to get names and addresses for the owners of any boats that aren't as they should be.
What i would like to see is them checking and doing something about the many semi wrecks that line the river in places. I know many areas of the river are lovely, but on a trip through other zones (Reading for one) you'll see plenty of boats that really need the attention of the EA.

 

[Barge]

They do seem to be more active - which has to be a good thing wherever that takes them yes?

Environment Agency River Thames Waterways Team | Facebook

 

[Outinthedinghy]

There is a nice EC Jones of Brentford Bantam push tug moored on the wall near the cafe and mini golf. I actually found myself clearing the leaves off it recently ecause it looked too abandoned.

Shame if the EA take it away as it's a really nice boat. I suppose they might sell it to someone who won't abandon it. One hopes it won't get cut up as it is a good craft.

 

[Sandhurst]

I’ve been trying to licence my boat since April 25th. Application submitted, chased up with emails and finally a phone call. I was informed they had only processed applications up to april12th. They will get round to it. As of today still no license.

 

[Northern Star]

Give them a call and I have found the staff there very helpful in the past.

 

[Parabordi]

I’ve been trying to licence my boat since April 25th. Application submitted, chased up with emails and finally a phone call. I was informed they had only processed applications up to april12th. They will get round to it. As of today still no license.

Rang yesterday, paid on phone and license emailed to me within 2hrs

 

[oldgit]

Rang yesterday, paid on phone and license emailed to me within 2hts

are you still sailing ?

 

[Parabordi]

are you still sailing ?

Back now, will be down saturday. Turning around washing and its my birthday friday!

 

[Sandhurst]

Just phoned the EA again. Apparently because my application is also a change of boat ownership it takes longer. They process one application a day. I was assured as long as I have the automated reply from the application everything is fine.

 

[Mark26]

Mr Sandhurst, are you from the town with the same name?

 

[Time Out]

Just phoned the EA again. Apparently because my application is also a change of boat ownership it takes longer. They process one application a day. I was assured as long as I have the automated reply from the application everything is fine.

I had the same despite doing most of it myself. Just use the boat as normal and tell the lock keepers that. I did that with no issue

 

[Sandhurst]

Mr Sandhurst, are you from the town with the same name?

Yes I am Mark. Name not very original must change it if I can.

 

[Sandhurst]

I had the same despite doing most of it myself. Just use the boat as normal and tell the lock keepers that. I did that with no issue

I was concerned about the EA patrolling marinas for boats with no licence showing.

 

[Time Out]

I was concerned about the EA patrolling marinas for boats with no licence showing.

Likewise I was concerned about using but after i finally got though to right person (was in Feb so lockdown of sorts) they said it’s all here just not joined up as yet and feel free to use.

Had a BSS name change too which confuses things somewhat!

Car reg is ever so simple now it’s all online. It’s a shame this can’t work until he same way given it’s a government agency.

 

[Pump-Out]

The EA had an enforcement team embarked on Seven Springs (their Mitchell patrol boat) at HRR.

Dressed in black shirts and trousers, looking more like police than harbour masters, they were cruising up and down entering boat names into electronic devices.

Seven Springs did not reply to at least one call I heard on VHF 74 (the nominated channel for HRR), nor did they do anything about the people doing U turns in the navigation channel . Yet there they were spending our money. The EA really have lost the plot.