Police are considering ticketing boating offenders, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Marine Police have handled close to 300 marine offences this year, with some six weeks of summer remaining.

And with no more than a dozen officers in that department, spokesman Sgt. Gary Venning said a ticketing system would be welcomed.

"It is our understanding steps are underway to introduce a ticket system for marine offences. It would be welcomed,'' he said.

"It would save considerable time by issuing tickets. This would enable Police to spend more time on patrol and go a long way towards improving efficiency.'' Currently there are 12 constables, one sergeant, and one inspector in the Marine Section.

"Sickness, rest days, annual leave could reduce the number of available officers,'' Sgt. Venning pointed out. Under the current system Marine Police report offenders, by long-hand, complete an offence report and a summary of evidence, then send it to the Prosecutions Department. A summons is then sent to warn the offender(s) of a court appearance.

Marine Police dealt with 36 cases of unregistered boats, 21 cases of failing to display registration numbers, and 77 offences where the boat owners failed to display decals. Sgt. Venning said the public can do more to ensure boats are licensed by making inquiries with Marine and Ports and Marine Police Section.

Jet-skis were also creating problems, Sgt. Venning said. Police had received numerous complaints from the public of jet-skis being operated dangerously.

"So far this year there were 121 cases of speeding with boats,'' he added.

Another offence on the rise is skiing within 200 feet of the shore and not carrying an observer. Sgt. Venning said there must be an independent observer.

There were also 36 cases of lack of the proper safety equipment. However, Sgt.

Venning said Marine Police were not all about booking people.

When dealing with boating offenders, officers of that section gave advice and tried to educate first-time offenders, he noted. Such people, Sgt. Venning said, are usually ignorant of the law so they may receive just a warning or be cautioned.

He said many people were also unaware of the requirement of licensing their boats.

Boats must be in the name of the new owners and Marine and Ports must be notified of change of ownership, Sgt. Venning pointed out. Every year on March 31 if a boat is in the water it must be registered.

"You are given a licence sticker which should be displayed on the front right-hand side of the boat,'' he said. In addition, the registration number should be on both sides of the boat. The registration number stays with the boat, but the boat is licensed each year and given a different colour sticker.

"At times we stop a person and he says the sticker is at home on the kitchen table, or he forgot to put it on,'' Sgt. Venning said.

He also stressed the need for boat owners to write down and keep a record of the size, colour, make, model, registration detail, and the mooring on which it is kept. Such information he said should be kept at home where a relative can report it to the Police. Each time an individual goes out he or she should state when they are leaving and returning, he said.

"Time is wasted on overtime boats where a person is back on shore and gone to a bar,'' Sgt. Venning added.

Time was also wasted on false flares. "This is serious,'' he said. "We waste many man hours looking for the origin of these flares. We have to investigate these thoroughly with Harbour Radio.

"There is a danger that someone may be genuinely in distress and we are distracted by these false flares. We discourage this activity.'' Sgt. Gary Venning