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CMAL (Caledonian Marine Assets Ltd) is holding the purse strings and is setting charges for berthing at Calmac piers which Calmac collect.

At the railway pier the number of fishing vessels berthing has been restricted so as to allow safe manoeuvring of the ferries into No2 berth. It seems that several times a month berthing is oversubscribed and boats have to move on.

The fish landing pier has no berthing only landing and vessels have to move off this once landed so their is an occasional lack of berthing. Cost of using the pier have driven away a number of smaller vessels from using this facility say for diesel fuel.

VHF Ch 12 is to be the prime channel for port use for all vessel in the bay, and this is being adopted on the Code of Practice notices that will be on display. There will also be mention of Seaplane landings and takeoffs.

Tommy Barbour has got a diesel fuel pipe leading to the outside of berth 2 and this is going to become the recognised fuelling point for small craft rather than inside No 2 where access was limited by numbers of vessels.

No 2 berth is now in use and No 1 is a holding berth and winter work will be upgrading No 1. When this is finished No 1 will be the high frequency berth for Mull sailings and No 2 for more occasional use Uists etc. No 2 berth will be bow in so bow thrusting will not affect where Tommy is presently fuelling boats.

There has been a wish list of harbour improvements put together but as yet no masterplan!!!

John Anderson gave an address on Oban Bay Marine and where they were trying to go in development terms. He is going to attend further meetings. HIE have been approached to help get together a full business plan for sourcing funding.

Some discussion took place about all the groups that get together and meet on differing agendas and it was brought out that this group meet to discuss matters in the shorter term and to inform other parties of information generally. This it does, and was set up to alleviate tensions between groups; it was brought to light that not all parties are or want to be represented.

Though funding is not available for major works it was thought that it was well worthwhile having plans for some projects developed and planned so when funding comes along things can then move on.

We were all asked to look at www.obanbaymarine.org.uk

The meeting closed 17.00. These notes compiled by Robert Kincaid