CODE OF CONDUCT FOR HARBOUR USERS
North Sunderland Harbour is a working harbour from which fishing and passenger vessels, dive boats, pleasure boats and the RNLI operate. It is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty and is within easy reach of the Farne Islands, many bird and marine habitats and diving sites. It provides a living for many and recreation for others; commercial, pleasure and environmental interests must work together.
North Sunderland Harbour, often known as Seahouses Harbour, is managed by North Sunderland Harbour Commissioners. As a Trust Port, the Commissioners manage the Harbour for the benefit of users and the local community. Safety, efficient use of Harbour facilities – it is a working harbour – together with protection of the environment and balancing the interests of the different types of harbour users are the Commissioners’ key aims.
This Code of Conduct applies to all Harbour users: commercial and leisure. It does not replace or override the Harbour Bye-Laws, the North Sunderland Harbour Order (S.R.A.O. 1931/928), any of the legislation that governs the use of ports and related maritime and environmental issues. As a Code of Conduct it does not in itself have statutory force, but it highlights statutory provisions relating to use of the Harbour and sets out the Commissioners’ requirements for the way in the Harbour is to be used.
Use of Harbour services and facilities, including (but not limited to) berthing, mooring and use of the Launching Facility, is subject to users complying with this Code. The Commissioners “have power to make the use of services and facilities provided by them subject to such terms and conditions as they think fit … “, (s. 40, Harbours Act 1964).
This Code of Conduct is provided as a service to the Harbour Community – to all who use or visit the Harbour in any way. The Commissioners expect the Code will develop over time, as the use of the Harbour and the law change. The Commissioners welcome feedback on the Code and will update it as necessary. It is available on the Commissioner’s website, along with the Bye-Laws and other information. See: www.nsh.org.uk
The Harbour Master and his deputies, have a duty to manage the harbour on behalf of the Commissioners. The Bye-Laws make it an offence to “obstruct, interrupt, hinder, threaten or insult the Harbour Master in the execution of his duty”. The Commissioners will enforce this if required.
Paul Brown
Harbour Master
Harbour Office, Harbour Road, SEAHOUSES, Northumberland, NE68 7RN
01665 720033 | 07483 126221 | harbourmaster@nsh.org.uk
Image: Plan showing area of Responsibility of the Harbour
DEFINITIONS "Harbour" means the water within the statutory limits of the Commissioners (see map above), both inside and outside the breakwaters and, where relevant, the harbour estate owned, leased or controlled by the Commissioners.
"Commercial vessels" means vessels in any form of commercial use, including RIBs.
NOTICES Notices are also displayed at the Harbour Office and on the Commissioner's website:www.nsh.org.uk
Notices and directions from the Harbour Master, which may in some cases temporarily override the contents of this Code, may be posted on the Harbour Office noticeboard and, if possible, on the Commissioners' website.
HARBOUR MASTER
"No person shall obstruct, interrupt, hinder, threaten or insult the Harbour Master in the execution of his duty." Bye-Law 2.
"The Master or other person in charge of any vessel within the Harbour shall obey the orders of the Harbour Master as to the berthing, mooring, or unmooring, or removal of such vessel,..." Bye-Law 7.
"...any master of a vessel who, after notice of any such direction by the harbour master served upon him shall not forthwith regulate such vessel according to such direction shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale." S. 53 Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act 1847.
COMMUNICATIONS
Tel: 01665 720033 Mobile: 07483 126221
Email: harbourmaster@nsh.org.uk
HARBOUR DUES & OTHER CHARGES
EMERGENCIES & RNLI
1. The RNLI uses the Launching Facility and must be given precedence. The Launching Facility must never be blocked so as to restrict emergency access.
2. All Harbour Users must be alert to urgent instructions from the Harbour Master or from the emergency services that relate to life-saving operations.
LAUNCHING & RECOVERY
ENTERING & LEAVING HARBOUR
1. The master of all vessels entering the Harbour shall notify the Harbour Master of any special circumstances on VHF Channel 8.
2. "All vessels coming into the Harbour shall be subject to the control of the Harbour Master as to the place for mooring or anchoring; " Bye-Law 3.
NAVIGATION
1. All vessels must comply with the Collision Regulations, exercise good seamanship and navigate with consideration for other Harbour users and the protection of the environment.
2. The speed limit inside the Harbour is 3 knots
3. Small craft must give way to larger vessels that may be constrained by their draft and restricted in their ability to manoeuvre when using the channel from the Pier-End to the Outer Breakwater to enter or depart from the Harbour.
4. All vessels must be manned by competent crew. Vessels that are required by law to be manned by certified crew must be manned by sufficient crew holding the necessary certificates.
5. Lights, including lasers, must not be used within the Harbour limits, whether afloat or ashore, that may impede safe navigation or cause confusion with navigation lights.
6. It is an offence to operate a vessel whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Railways and Transport Act 1983.
7. The master of any vessel involved in a collision, grounding, fire or other incident must report the incident to the Harbour Master.
8. The master of any vessel using the Harbour whose safety or seaworthiness is compromised must (A) notify the Harbour Master and (B) not use the vessel until the problem has been rectified.
ANCHORING
No vessel shall "anchor so as to impede traffic within the Harbour". Bye-Law 3.
BERTHING - GENERAL
1. "All vessels coming into the Harbour are subject to the control of the Harbour Master as to the place for mooring." Bye-Law 3.
BERTHING - INNER HARBOUR
BERTHING - RIBs
1. RIBs are not permitted to berth in the Inner Harbour, for safety reasons.
2. The Harbour Master may, on receiving an application and subject to space, allocate Outer Harbour berths to RIBs.
PASSENGER EMBARKATION & DISEMBARKATION
LEISURE CRAFT
ANGLERS
Anglers must comply with all applicable closed seasons and Minimum Conservation References Sizes (MCRS) both nationally https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/minimum-conservation-reference-sizes-mcrs/minimum-conservation-reference-sizes-mcrs-in-uk-waters and locally https://nifca.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/FULL-BYELAWS-October-2022.pdf
FUEL & HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
LOADING & DISCHARGING OF GOODS
The master or agent of every vessel loading or unloading cargo shall give an accurate account of the cargo handled to the Harbour Master.
CONDUCT ON THE QUAYS AND PIERS
EQUIPMENT
REGULATIONS & MARINE NOTICES (M NOTICES)
WILDLIFE
North Sunderland Harbour lies within the Northumbria SPA (Special Protection Area) and not far from the Farne Islands SPA, both of which are situated within the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC (Special Area of Conservation). There is a wide variety of flora and flora within this area most of which are protected under various legislation. Please be aware of this during your visit to the area. Our resident Eider ducks are ever present in the harbour and during the spring they will gather with their ducklings feeding on mussels, crabs and invertebrates. Disturbance from dogs and bathing can impair the eider duck's ability to feed and nurture their young which can cause the ducklings to starve or weaken them making them easy prey for our resident Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. In the Autumn and Winter, waders such as Curlews, Plovers and Oyster Catchers travel from as far away as Scandanavia to feed in the harbour. Every time they take flight due to disturbance they expend vital energy. Remember they have travelled a long way to visit Seahouses too. Please keep dogs on a lead at all times.
The area outside of the harbour around the Farne Islands is home to a variety of different mammals such as our smallest cetacean the Harbour Porpoise, Bottlenose Dolphin, White Beaked Dolphin and Killer Whales. Cetaceans can be impacted by activities that disturb them and can interfere with their feeding, breeding and rearing of young. They rely on echolocation to interpret their environment and find out where other animals and objects are. Engine and propeller noise can drown out these sound signals which can disorientate the animals and disrupt their communication and breeding. This uses up vital energy making animals more prone to disease and attack from predators. They can also be killed in collisions with boats and propellers.
The Farne Islands are home to one of the largest colonies of grey seals on the east Coast of England with thousands of pups born there every Autumn. disturbance can cause mothers to abandon their pups or crush them as they race to gain shelter in the sea.
Finally please do not feed the birds. They quickly become habituated to humans which can make them aggressive. Also human food is often heavily processed which is high in calories and low in nutritional value which can affect the long term health of the birds and their young. Gulls have been known to attack adults and children as well as pets and they can also carry a variety of pathogens.