Fishing port nets cash boost for Torbay

Booming business in Brixham has netted a bumper catch for Torbay Council.

The accounts from the bay’s three harbours are included in a report to a committee next week.

They reveal that while the council had budgeted on losing £109,000 from its harbour business in the past year, it in fact made a surplus of £89,000.

An increase in fish toll income is largely behind the upturn. The toll is the fee charged by the council for boats doing business in its ports, including booming Brixham, which has become in recent years the leading commercial fishing port in England.

The extra cash has offset overspends on repairs and maintenance, and the fact that income on mooring fees and pontoon berths is down.

A report to a meeting of the harbour committee next Monday says the fish toll income for the year exceeded budgeted levels by almost £300,000 because  volumes were significantly higher than estimated.

It also says that repair and maintenance costs had been higher than anticipated, including replacing an alarm system at Brixham harbour.

Income from marina rentals also exceeded the figures in the budget.

It all means the bay’s harbours at Torquay, Paignton and Brixham contributed £657,000 to the council in the past year.