[Sideshow SurfBlaster]

Heard from a fishing pal yesterday via someone who was in the local tackle shop that the SBW is to be permanently closed with the gates being closed for the final time in a fortnight or so. Many have their own view on the SBW and how well it fishes, but it's one of the few relatively safe places for kids and disabled anglers to fish up here and its permanent closure will definitely be a major travisty for NE sea angling..... Has anyone on here heard anything to contrary whether it's to confirm/deny this rumour or add to it ??


Sideshow...

 

[Olicks]

I truly hope this is just a Chinese whisper!

 

[mk1beast]

Amazing place to fish and learn to fish for the kids , I dout it will be shut permanently tho

 

[Pwablo]

I have not heard anything to this effect, however Peterhead Port Authority have contracted a large dredger
https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandg...-for-peterhead-to-start-work-on-port-upgrade/
to begin work to deepen berths at the port, so it is possible that this activity will present them with an opportunity to close the gates, despite the dredger being used to carry out work in the inner harbour redevelopment? (They usually close the gates anyway when the pier is not in use, or the seastate has a lift in it, or for any safety reason they can think of !) (I have always held the belief that they basically dont like the public using it, but cant really do much about it without a valid excuse of some sort! or am i being too cynical ?).
As far as I was led to believe, both the North and South Breakwaters do not belong to either ASCO or PPA, and they belong to the people of Peterhead. Both organizations only run and operate the breakwaters, and I would find it surprising if either had the power to permanently stop the public from using them. This may however of changed recently at some level, and if so, It really wouldnt come to me as a surprise, if the upgrades to deal with any potential decomissioning work has allowed them to lever this public asset from the good folks of the blue toon, for their own ends. It will be a sad loss to the angling community and the public at large, if this is indeed the case.
Edit - I would of expected something to be announced publically if they were to be shut permanently, and I havnt seen anything yet in any of the local rags, so hopefully this is all just chinese whispers.

 

[Eurasian]

Being nearly local, I contacted Ian Laidlaw, Chief Executive Peterhead Port Authority re this question. This is his reply :-
"Thanks for your interest. For your information ASCO are responsible for the operation of the South Breakwater and are therefore have a responsibility for the safety of all persons on the Breakwater both during operational periods and at other times. Hence public access is restricted during cargo / shipping operations and during periods of inclement weather.
The Port Authority and ASCO are jointly responsible for the security of the Port which the Breakwaters are part.
The safety and security of the Port, and hence the Breakwaters, are constantly under review and while there is no fixed plans at present to permanently restrict access to the general public this may change in the future. However, should this situation change we will consult with the local authority and issue public notices, etc.
As far as I am aware ASCO have not issued any information to this affect therefore it would be worthwhile if you could confirm the source of the information from the person that posted the info on the internet.
I trust that the above helps but if you require any further info please come back to me.

Best Regards,

Ian Laidlaw


Chief Executive".

Hope that this clarifies the present situation.

Regards

Malky.

 

[Pwablo]

Thanks for clarifying the current situation Malky. As I suspected, chinese whispers doing the rounds again.

Regards

 

[Jammy John]

elf and safety eejits got slung off last year for an apparent oil slick discharge never heard such b/s in all my life even the guy that told me in his flashy 4x4 looked sheepish

 

[Sideshow SurfBlaster]

"As far as I am aware ASCO have not issued any information to this affect therefore it would be worthwhile if you could confirm the source of the information from the person that posted the info on the internet"

Unfortunately as I first stated my fishing buddy only heard this from some bloke who'd come into Big T's Tackle Shop in Boddam ranting about it and saying that the gates would be permanently closed in a fortnights time..............thankfully it all now sounds like BS and I'm happy for that !!!!

Sideshow...

 

[BigTony]

Heard from a fishing pal yesterday via someone who was in the local tackle shop that the SBW is to be permanently closed with the gates being closed for the final time in a fortnight or so. Many have their own view on the SBW and how well it fishes, but it's one of the few relatively safe places for kids and disabled anglers to fish up here and its permanent closure will definitely be a major travisty for NE sea angling..... Has anyone on here heard anything to contrary whether it's to confirm/deny this rumour or add to it ??


Sideshow...

Sorry, but the rumour did not come from here. I am not sure where the rumour started, I have been told it might have been a security guard, but it was not my shop

 

[BigTony]

As the owner of the local fishing tackle shop I can state that it never came from here. We heard the rumour the same as everybody else and the first thing I did was phone ASCO and ask and they informed me then there were no plans to close the Breakwater, and that is the message we have been passing on. However, we have been telling people that if the weather is bad and topping the Breakwater then the gate will be closed in the interest of public safety, and we will not argue with that as safety always comes first!
If it is a help to the members of the Forum, we are quite happy to call ASCO every week and ask if they have any plans to do temporary closures for planned maintenance or bad weather and post it on here so that you can plan in advance for coming up here to fish.
For those of you that have not found it yet, the shop has moved to the Buchan Braes Business Centre, Station Road, Boddam. When heading towards Peterhead on the A90, turn in to Boddam at the Rocksley Inn, take the first right about 30 metres down the road, then about 50 metres on the left there is the mast from the days it was the RAF camp. Stop somewhere about there, go up the steps into the main entrance and the shop is on your right. It is a lot bigger than the previous shop and we are slowly increasing the stock to fill it, but it all takes time. Hope to see you all soon.

 

[Pwablo]

Thanks for letting me know the shop was still around.... I knew it had moved to Buchan Braes Business Centre and i have been in past a few times there, but the last time I went up to get tackle the building was empty... so obviously you have moved again within the business park? Maybe some signs on the old let and outside the new shop would be useful..... I thought you had closed down and ordered stuff online instead...

Cheers

 

[ksaro1]

A tip for folks always asking about the SBW... check http://www.marinetraffic.com... if you see ships berthed at the SBW then it will be open, guaranteed....sometimes part of it is closed due to cargo handling operations but the gates will be open if a ship is berthed, else how can the ships be accessed?

 

[edindundee]

Fished there yesterday, two of us. Blanked! LOTS of people fishing both in the harbour and out. Saw one small dab caught, a few small fish looked like saithe from a distance, and one MASSIVE crab, all from the seaward side of the breakwater.

 

[Ali_Davidson]

Good to hear about the shop I often swing in past when visiting my mum who lives in Mintlaw.