Fiordland Lobster Company is applying to permanently fence off the Deepwater Basin Wharf to public access.
It has applied to the Department of Conversation to allow the fencing off, as the area is in a national park.
Company director Mark Peychers said in the application to Doc that tourists were meandering around the commercial wharf, oblivious to the site’s dangers.
He said “the inquisitive nature of people and especially tourists naturally attracts them, with the majority always wanting to get a closer look”.
Fishers were using forklifts to move 1000kg pallets of lobster bait, or to on-load or off-load cray pots on the wharf.
“The very design of these vehicles [means] the load impedes the visibility of the driver,” and it was a particularly dangerous time for pedestrians to be walking around.
The tourists did not seem to understand to stay clear “regardless of flashing lights or a multitude use of road cones”.
Many pedestrians had no situational awareness because they were too busy trying to work out where they were meant to be, he said.
Despite verbal warnings from staff, clear signs and flashing lights, road cones and temporary fences were either removed or ignored by both tourists and recreational wharf users.
“… we are still encountering tourists and the public walking and driving … when forklift operations were taking place.”
He said it was common to see cars parked next to six-high stacks of lobster pots.
“So if they fall from this height, serious injury or death could occur.”
The Deepwater Basin wharf had a narrow access that was a particularly unsafe place for the public while crane and forklifts were operating. There was a real risk someone could be knocked into the water by a reversing forklift, he said.
“Commercial fishers use the wharf crane to unload and load their vessels. Heavy loads are constantly being swung around and over the wharf and are a constant hazard.”
The company began its live rock lobster operations in Freshwater Basin in the 1970s, but moved its base to Deepwater Basin in 2015.
Submissions close on February 3.
— Toni McDonald
