THE number of annual moorings at a busy harbour has dropped by nearly 20 per cent in only two years.

The Barmouth Harbour Consultative Committee heard there were 72 boats on annual moorings in 2018, compared with 86 in 2017 and 88 in 2016, a drop of 18.2 per cent.

At October’s Barmouth Town Council meeting, councillors admitted the decrease in the number of vessels present in the harbour is “disappointing” but “cannot be attributed to any single factor”.

Cllr Rob Triggs was present at the meeting, as was mayor Jamie Brooks.

The reasons for decline were listed as people moving away from the area, individuals retiring from owning vessels, and vessels required to be removed by the Harbour Authority from the harbour on safety grounds.

The mayor also suggested that there is currently an “unstable and uncertain economic climate”.

Cllr Triggs added that the harbour needed dredging and that an ever-growing sand bar was causing concern.

Gwynedd Council said the local authority’s dredger was available for hire, but that there was no money for the council to do the work itself.

On the whole when comparing all Gwynedd Council harbours, there has been a decrease in the number of customers over the past year in all harbours.

However, the tide made turn next year as there has been an encouraging number of enquiries for moorings in Barmouth for the next season.

The committee also noted that the number of power boats, boats, and personal watercraft registered in the county had gone up.

Finally, it was also noted that Barmouth Town Council had completed “ground-breaking work” ensuring that beach and prom were accessible for all.