Commercial mooring owners will be paying the higher transient, or short-term, mooring fee for the remainder of the season if their spots aren't being rented.

Based on the recommendation of Harbormaster Michael Cormier, the Board of Selectmen approved the new regulations Tuesday, which classify moorings not rented as of July 1 as transient.

This means owners used to the $150 commercial fee will be subject to the $200 transient mooring fee.

Cormier also asked that the transient vessels still moored in Marion after 14 days be subject to fees that will be charged based on the size of the vessel.

Under the new policy, commercial moorings owners must notify Cormier when a transient vessel is placed on their mooring, as well as provide the renter's name, contact number (if they intend to stay more than 24 hours) and intended departure date.

Cormier suggested the change after meeting with the Marine Resources Commission on safety issues in Barden’s Boat Yard and Burr Brothers Boats, including a lack of information between owners and renters to the Harbormaster, and the failure of transient renters paying fees.

Selectman Roger Blanchette said this policy will, hopefully, ensure that fees are paid and help track the comings-and-goings of visiting boat owners in the harbor.

"The fees go unpaid because renters stay in transient moorings without the renters or owners letting Cormier know," Blanchette said. "In the process, these boats accrue additional mooring fees."

“The problem is if a boat comes into the harbor and is staying for a week, [Cormier] needs to know they’re staying for a week,” Blanchette said.

Blanchette said this information is usually not passed on to Cormier because renters of transient moorings may be unfamiliar with Marion’s laws on mooring. This, he said, cannot be faulted to the renters, but both the renters and commercial moorings owners need to be made aware of the policy and be made to pay the fees.

Overdue fees aside, Blanchette said, this is an issue over safety. Previously, Cormier and his staff have had trouble responding to emergencies in the harbor without the appropriate information on the renters.

“Boat yards need to know who is renting transient moorings, and [the owners] need to notify where and how long the moorings will be rented,” Blanchette said.

The new regulations will also put a labeling system into place where a transient vessel can be identified by a color flag or patch to be determined by Cormier.