SOS call to help fund £100k repairs
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LYBSTER Harbour is in need of significant grant funding to allow extensive repairs to be carried out following the worst storm in living memory.
The Friendly Society of Lybster Harbour has announced the total amount of damage caused to the co-operative-owned port is estimated to be £100,000 at least.
Despite the port not being Highland Council-owned, councillors and harbour users have called on the authority to offer assistance with costs.
Lybster was one of the worst-hit ports in Caithness during December’s storm which wreaked havoc on harbours throughout the east Highlands, causing an estimated £2.5 million worth of damage.
At Lybster, damage included a landslide and a wall caving in at the top of the pier with breakwaters being damaged and the basin of the harbour being filled with debris from the sea.
The storm also caused one of 11 creel boats which use the harbour to sink and another to be washed ashore.
Harbour secretary Jay Mackay said investigations have only been carried out into damage above the water due to the high cost of hiring divers to carry out underwater repairs.
He said an underwater survey still needs to be undertaken which is expected to add to the repair bill.
"The Friendly Society cannot afford to pay for repairs as it stands – we do have money but we cannot afford to spend it all as we require some of that to finance ongoing costs," he said.
"We’re looking to raise money through a number of different means but, due to the financial climate, it may take quite a while before we receive any assistance."
Highland Council harbourmaster Tony Usher toured Caithness ports to view the extent of the damage last week.
He met Friendly Society members at Lybster to discuss the various avenues the port could look into to raise money.
Mr Mackay said members have held discussions with Highland Council regarding if funding from the authority is possible if the society can pay for a high percentage of the costs itself.
He is also planning to raise the issue at the Inshore Fisheries Conference in Inverness about what the Scottish Government is doing to help fishing communities with the clean-up.
Landward Caithness councillor Willie Mackay said Highland Council should support Lybster as it is one of the major ports in Caithness.
He said Lybster will be applying to the Bellwin Scheme which helps with costs in the wake of large-scale incidents and has already distributed over £200,000 in the last month.
"Highland Council said it was quite keen to help in an advisory capacity and I’d like to think that there is some scope to assist with financial costs," he said.
"Despite Lybster being co-operatively owned, it is one of the most important ports in Caithness in terms of financial benefit to the area. I’d like to think Highland Council would look favourably on supporting Lybster financially and Mr Usher appreciated the situation that Lybster was in as well as other ports in Caithness as he was alarmed by what he saw."
The total cost of damage to Caithness harbours and surrounding areas has now been estimated at £887,000.
Wick Harbour Authority was the biggest financially-hit port, reporting last week the total cost of damage to be £497,000.
Counting the cost of the storms
Wick £497,000
Dunbeath £100,000
Lybster £100,000
Latheron £65,000
Freswick £35,000
John O’Groats £35,000
Staxigoe £35,000
Ackergill £10,000
Keiss £10,000
Total £887,000
