By Jim McGaw

PORTSMOUTH — Facing a surge in derelict boats that threaten to sink, spill fuel and damage the shoreline, Portsmouth has raised its harbor mooring fees to build a dedicated fund for fast, environmentally safe removals.

The Portsmouth Town Council on Nov. 10 approved a slate of increases to the town’s harbor mooring fees, adopting a revised schedule intended to keep the harbor financially self-sustaining while addressing a growing number of abandoned boats along the shoreline.

Portsmouth Harbor Commission Vice Chair Tom Grieb said rising management costs, inflation and an escalating derelict boat problem made adjustments necessary.

“Over a decade ago, when mooring fees were first charged by Portsmouth, the agreed-upon objective was that the harbor would be run like an enter

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