Boat owners are taken to court

Environment Agency takes action on unregistered vessels

A Peterborough woman has been fined after not registering her boat.

Suzana Sutton’s boat was found unregistered in Oundle Marina, on the River Nene, in July 2021. As a result, Sutton, of Kings Cliffe, Peterborough, was fined £250 and ordered to pay costs of £250, compensation of £427 and a victim surcharge of £34 after being found guilty of keeping a vessel on a waterway when it was not registered with the Environment Agency at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court.

A second boater, Philip Sunman, 60, who resides on his boat near Little Paxon,

Cambridgeshire, was also found guilty of the same offence in his absence. Sunman’s vessel was discovered unregistered on the River Great Ouse, in June, 2021. He was fined £250, with costs of £250, compensation of £1,091 and a victim surcharge of £34.

The income from vessel registration directly contributes to the services, facilities and structures the Environment Agency provides to make boating possible on its waterways. This includes maintenance of locks, moorings, slipways and many other navigational structures.

Nathan Arnold, Environment Agency waterways team leader, said: “We hope these penalties will serve as a reminder to all boaters that they must ensure that their vessels are properly registered at all times.

“The funds generated by boat registration are vital to ensure the Environment Agency is able to protect our waterways and all that use them.

“People should remember to register any vessel that is kept on an Environment Agency waterway, or they will face enforcement action.”

More information about boating and waterways, including registering vessels, is available from the Environment Agency.

Anyone who comes across a vessel on Environment Agency waterways that they suspect is unregistered, is encouraged to report it anonymously by calling 03708 506 506 or emailing waterways. enforcementanglian@environment-agency.gov.uk.