A council is looking at ways to collect berthing fees from boat owners using Iona slipway for free.
Argyll and Bute Council, which recently invested £1.2million repairing the ferry slipway at the pilgrimage island, has noted that some boats which use it have not been paying their berthing dues.
A major increase in the thousands of visitors to the island is expected when the Scottish Government introduces the Road Equivalent Tarrif (RET) cheaper ferry fares in October.
The price of a car fare from Oban to Mull will reduce from £33 to £13, which is expected to generate more visitors to Mull and to Iona, which is reached by ferry from Mull.
In a report to go before councillors of the Oban Lorn and the Isles area committee on Wednesday, Clive Hayward, marine operations manager, writes: “The council owns 39 piers and harbours throughout the region which are an asset and generate considerable revenue.
“However whilst use of these piers and harbours can be monitored in places where there are pier and harbour staff, that is employees of the council, it is much harder to ensure that berthing dues are paid to the council when a pier is unmanned.
“Iona slipway is a good example. Whilst dues are received from the ferry and tenders from visiting cruise ships, it is known that certain other tourism operators use the slipway and have not paid any berthing dues. To maximise the income generated by the piers and harbours consideration is being given to options for the collection of all berthing dues at these unmanned piers.”
An option the council could consider is the possibility of directing visitors who berth at piers to go to nearby businesses to pay their dues and use facilities. The businesses would then take a percentage of the fee.