Personally a fee like this wouldn't bother me. Outfitters should be levied a fee for using our resources. I do have some reservations as to the price, I think it should be lower than the $25.00 mentioned. I also think an extra levy should be set on foreign companies coming into the country also. What do people think about this? K.Stevens -----Original Message----- From: toki [SMTP:toki_at_islandnet.com] Sent: Saturday, March 06, 1999 7:36 AM To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Cc: CRCA - geldart - SK subcommittee; CRCA Richard Wilson; CRCA Tom Brown Subject: [Paddlewise] Marine Service Fee - $25.00 per kayak Letter sent to many outfitters from Michael Pardy in Victoria at ORS on March 5th, 1999. Mike's letter to all of us reads.... "As you may or may not know, the Coast Guard, through the offices of the Western Marine Community Association, is planning to levy a $25 fee per kayak and/or canoe for all commercial operators in BC. I have talked to Rick Bryant who is the Regional Director of the Pacific Region of the Canadian Coast Guard. It is their intention to collect this fee, but they are willing to engage in a "consultative process" (whatever that means) before making a final decision. We need to speak with a clear voice on this issue. In preliminary talks with a few people in the industry, the opinion is unanimous; this fee is unacceptable. The fee is in place to support Aids to Navigation. Kayaks do use Aids to Navigation but the quality and kind of use is quite different between kayaks, and power and sail boats. Kayaks and canoes are currently lumped together with other small power and sail vessels. We need to be clear about our special needs and make sure the Coast Guard is making informed and knowledgeable decisions on behalf of the sea kayaking community. My concerns are as follows: 1.The fees are onerous, especially on the heels of new equipment regulations 2. The fees were applied without direct representation from the commercial sea kayak community. 3. The fees, as they stand now, will not be applied equally to all kayak outfitters and operators because the Coast Guard doesn't have a comprehensive list of operators. Those of us on the list will pay, but others would be overlooked. 4. Kayak operators and outfitters have large fleets and would be penalized in relation to other kinds of fleets. ie we have more boats. I am sure there are other concerns as well. We need to raise our voice. The relavent contact numbers are below. If you would like more information, call the Western Marine Community Association (WMCA) or the Coast Guard. I would like you to: pass this on to other outfitters; write, phone, or email the Coast Guard and the WMCA let your industry associations know you feel. ie the Alliance and the Association etc.. let me know how you feel " Western Marine Community Assocation Box 12080 Harbour Centre 1520-555 West Hastings Street Vancouver BC V6B 4N4 phone 604 684-1332 fax 604 684-2263 Canadian Coast Guard c/o Rick Bryant Regional Director Pacific Region phone 604 775-8877 email bryantr_at_dfo-mpo.gc.ca TO'KI: The Ocean Kayak Institute Inc. David Blacoe, President 1919 Billings Rd, Sooke, B.C., V0S-1N0 (250) 642-2159 web site: http:// www.islandnet.com/~toki << File: ATT00000.html >> *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Mar 06 1999 - 09:17:46 PST
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