“Put it up on eBay and ask for anything between PS1 and PS100. Then it becomes someone else’s problem.”
This was Dr Corina Ciocan, a marine biologist,’s typical reply when she asked “How do I get rid of an older boat?”
It is estimated that there are approximately one million of these types in the UK.
This has led to warnings about a “tidal waves of abandonments”, which could decimate marine life.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which stated that boats can be dumped if there is not enough end-of-life regulations and disposal costs, said it. It was investigating ways to address the problem.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Defra), stated that it will work with other countries in order to determine the extent of the problem and provide guidance for addressing it.
Dr Ciocan discovered “huge amounts” of tiny fibreglass fragments that were used to build boats in mussels and oysters, and warned about potential dangers for humans and sea life.
She compared them to asbestos and said: “It took Sir David Attenborough ten years to make us aware about plastic pollution. It is impossible to do much if a large name doesn’t do the same about this.
Brighton University’s Dr Ciocan described the fibers as “like spikes” which embed themselves in the organism. He said that a small snail looked like a “pin cushion” after being pierced multiple times.
She advised against owners taking their boats out to sea and drilling holes, then letting them sink, if there are no disposal routes.
Surfboards and paddleboards made of fibreglass are not recyclable at the moment and could pose a threat to marine life if they are discarded.
Dr Ciocan published research about the effects at Chichester Harbour off the coast of West Sussex, Hampshire. There, boats were being repaired and broken up. He added: “It caused a earthquake with messages from people all over the world saying that it’s a huge issue everywhere.”
She stated that dismantling boats was “a very difficult process”, which meant there were limited options for owners.
This involves removing oils, chemicals, and plastics before you can get to the hull. There are layers of polyester resin that can mix with balsawood and foam.
“It needs to be incentivised, for boat owners to dispose of them in an environmentally-friendly way,” she said.
“Typically, the older the boat is, the less the owner will have to spend on it.” They won’t have much money to spend on scientifically-proven disposal methods.”
Ray Hobbs, a Carmarthenshire resident, has always considered them valuable commodities. However, he discovered what looked like a ship graveyard while walking his dog.
They were found in the Cleddau Estuary, near Llangwm, Pembrokeshire. It was not clear how many of them had been there or when the owners would return to get some.
He was a photographer and was fascinated by the effects of the overnight sun on the vessels. But he wondered what would happen to all of these boats.
“Will they ever be reclaimed by their owners and made seaworthy again? Or rescued by a benevolent Pirate and returned to the sea?” Or will they continue to languish in salty mud banks until eternity?
Luke Edney, of Boatbreakers, is one of the UK’s few disposal companies. He believes that there could be a “tidal wave” of abandonments in the next fifteen years.
He stated, “There are too few boats and not enough people. They are unrecyclable right now.”
People may be eligible for PS50 to scrap a car under the End-of-Life-Vehicle Regulations. However, Mr Edney stated that getting rid of a boat would cost around PS100 per foot. That’s PS3,000 for a vessel measuring 30ft (9m).
They become “a hot potato” for local authorities, and they will have to pay the bill if they take over scrap.
“The more time the local authority leaves them, both the cost and the condition of the property will get worse.” He added that it was a Catch 22.
“It’s a huge headache – if someone is able to sell the boat for a low price, they will pass it along. They could sell the boat if they bought it for PS1 because it doesn’t have any perceived value.
Some people don’t want to pay the PS5,000 per year fee to leave a yacht 25ft (7.5m), in certain harbours.
“Covid has accelerated the situation since people haven’t been able get to some for 2 years, so they were finding engines wouldn’t start and other problems,” Mr Edney said.
Although canals are controlled, he said it was a “free for all” along the coast. He suggested that a tax be added to every boat bought or sold in order to help fund recycling.
Boatbreakers has over 30,000 Facebook fans. It sells parts, but only scratches the surface of what is needed.
Truro Harbour Authority, Cornwall spent PS75,000 to dispose of an old fishing vessel and PS50,000 to get rid of the other.
Pembrokeshire’s local authority stated that it was not involved in handling boats. Llangwm councillors are unsure about the ownership of any boats left in the region.
Rowland Sharp, NRW’s senior maritime advisor, stated that current laws say that the harbour authority or local authority has the responsibility of disposing of end-of life boats if there is a navigational problem.
“NRW is currently working on a variety of projects to improve how we deal with endof-life boats and in Wales. This includes a project assessing Milford Haven’s situation, as well as a cross-border collaboration with Natural England at The Dee.”
It is also working on a best-practice protocol to deal with end-of life boats, especially those that could affect Marine Protected Areas.
Defra stated that the UK is leading the fight against end-of-life ships under the new Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter.
A spokesperson stated that “Working with other countries, I will map the extent of the problem across the region” and provide guidance for improving waste management for recreational boats that are not wanted or fit to use.
