LOBSTER boats worth tens of millions of dollars remain anchored in Rivoli Bay following an equipment failure more than three months ago which has stopped them from re-entering dry dock.
20 boats are still in the water at Beachport and Southend, with professional fishers claiming a broken winch has restricted their ability to haul the boats out of the sea via the slipway.
Although most fishers have already caught their lobster quota many months ago, their boats cannot go ashore.
The Beachport yard is the winter base for dozens of boats from across the region and it is ideal in terms of security and accessibility for maintenance.
It is owned and operated by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI).
A department spokesperson said the problem was a failed hydraulic pump within the winch system.
Member for MacKillop Nick McBride said he had approached the transport department about the problem.
He said the department had told him a temporary repair would be made to get the boats out of the water and a permanent solution would be undertaken over winter.
