About Fowey Harbour
Fowey Harbour Commissioners are the statutory port authority for Fowey Harbour with responsibility for the Fowey Estuary from the Harbour Limits between St Catherine’s Castle and Punches Cross to the tidal limits of the estuary at Lostwithiel’s medieval bridge and the tributaries of Lerryn, Penpoll and Pont.
Fowey Harbour Commissioners are the statutory Trust Port body set up initially in 1869 to promote and regulate trade in the Port of Fowey.
There is a long history of Fowey being an important and a principal trading port servicing the South West region of Britain and providing a significant trading link.
Today, Fowey provides a deep water harbour for the export of approximately 500,000 tonnes of china clay annually in addition to providing a safe haven for in excess of 1500 resident pleasure craft and 6000 visiting vessels each year. The export of china clay is declining and so diversification into the leisure sector is an important part of our business.
As a Trust port, Fowey is managed by an independent Board of Commissioners. Run on a commercial basis regulated profits are reinvested in the Harbour for the benefit of all stakeholders. All revenues are derived from Port users. The Commissioners receive no remunerations and give their time to support the community.
The role of the authority can be split into two main functions they are:
- Regulatory – the control of harbour operations in a safe and efficient manner
- Conservancy – maintenance of the harbour to ensure that users do so safely and conveniently.
Other statutory duties include implementing Port Emergency Plans, Marine Safety Management Systems, Port Security, Waste Management Plans, Oil Contingency Plans and Environmental Management.
All of these duties are carried out in consultation with many other statutory bodies, stakeholders and interested parties including the Fowey Port User Group.