West Newbury Police Department
West Newbury, MA 01985
Phone: 978.363.1213
Fax: 978.363.1114 E-Mail
General Harbor Regulations
I. Purpose:
A. It is the intent of these regulations to establish rules governing the placement of docks, moorings and establish a fee structure for that purpose.
II. Definitions:
A. A mooring shall mean any structure or apparatus including floats and rafts held by anchors or bottom moorings.
III. Mooring and Float Regulations:
a. Permits for floats, moorings or other docking mechanisms shall be issued by the Harbormaster according to the terms and requirements of the applications and the available space.
b. The harbormaster shall review all permits on a case by case basis. Each permit must comply with the requirements set forward under Massachusetts General Law and the Department of Environmental Protection.
c. No person shall establish a mooring or float within the waters of the Merrimack River in West Newbury without first obtaining an annual permit from the Harbormaster. Said permits will run from January 1st – December 31st of each year. Applications may be obtained from the Harbormaster’s office.
d. Floats, rafts and mooring of boats held by anchors or bottom moorings installed without permission from the Harbormaster shall be considered a public nuisance and may be removed by the Harbormaster at the expense of the owner in the event he/she fails to remove the mooring after having been notified in writing.
e. No permit may be issued without prior payment of all appropriate fees by the applicant including, but not limited to, annual boat excise tax if applicable.
IV. Fees
a. Mooring Fees:
The minimum fee for a mooring permit is $ 50.00
b. Floating Docks or Rafts”
The minimum fee for a dock or float is $ 50.00
V. Penalties:
a. A mooring permit may be denied or revoked by the Harbormaster at any time for failure to comply with any or all by-laws set forth by these Articles and any or all laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
b. Whoever violates any of the By-Laws of these Articles or refuses or neglects to obey the lawful orders of a Harbormaster, or resists him in the execution of his duties shall subject the offender to a fine of not more than $100.00. Fines for acts constituting a violation are as follows:
Placement of a Mooring without a permit Fine: $100.00
Placement of a Dock or Float without a permit Fine: $100.00
Unauthorized moving / tampering of Moorings Fine: $50.00
Invalid or no vessel registration Fine: $20.00
Exceeding Speed Limit Fine: $50.00
Loud or Unmuffled Exhaust Fine: $50.00
Required Equipment Violations Fine: $25.00
Exceeding 5 mph in designated mooring area Fine: $25.00
Reckless/negligent operation of a vessel Fine: $50.00
Water Skiing in a designated mooring area Fine: $50.00
Pollution of Waterways Fine: $100.00
Unauthorized moving/tampering of moorings Fine: $100.00
Failure to remove derelict, abandonment, sunk and/or unsafe
vessel after notice has been given Fine: $100.00
Other violations of Rules and Regulations not specifically listed Fine: $50.00
