POOLE Harbour Commis-sioners are cracking down on illegal moorings in Poole Harbour, and will be removing up to 40 over the coming months.

Harbour master Peter Booth said he was aware of between 30 and 40 buoys which had been placed without authorisation.

Such moorings were often badly maintained and potentially hazardous.

He added: "What has been worrying us over the last year is the number of smaller boats breaking adrift from their moorings on harbour buoys and careering into the harbour.

"They could potentially do considerable damage to other vessels and if the worst happens and they sink in the channel, we would have to do a major salvage job to make sure they will not obstruct others."

Harbour office staff are putting notes on the moorings to give occupiers 14 days to contact them.

"It's a safety issue and if people are putting down moorings illegally it restricts the activity of other users," added Mr Booth.

The harbour commissioners charge £2.45 per metre of vessel, plus VAT, per year for a mooring licence for a buoy laid and maintained by the boat owner. Larger craft must hire a maintained mooring for around £400 a year.

"If people dodge the fees it makes it more onerous for those who don't. We will not be fining people - we want to be sympathetic to them as it may have been done through ignorance - but those moorings will be lifted."

Mr Booth added: "If they don't get their licences renewed, they will lose their mooring in Poole harbour."