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2023 Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling

Dartmouth, MA – It protected your boat all winter, now it’s time to protect the environment.

Clean white boat wrap is accepted through this drop-off program at the Dartmouth Transfer Station.  Zippers and straps must be removed and discarded.  Spray painted wrap cannot be accepted.

“This boat wrap drop-off program enables this material to be collected in a designated container so that it can be recycled. Boat wrap cannot be placed in a curbside recycling cart. It would take up valuable space at the Crapo Hill landfill if discarded as garbage. We are working with the Waterways Commission and the Harbormaster to alert individual boaters of this win-win solution to the annual shrink wrap disposal problem and doing our best to keep it out of the waste stream,” said Tim Barber, Director of Public Works in the Town of Dartmouth.

Dartmouth residents may take boat wrap to the Dartmouth Transfer Station. A transfer station permit is required.  There is a container for boat wrap only. The Dartmouth Transfer Station is open Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Dartmouth residents who would like to obtain a transfer station permit, or a day pass, may call the Dartmouth DPW at (508) 999-0740.

Remember, boat wrap is only recyclable through drop-off programs. Plastic bags and plastic wraps do not belong in recycling carts. That type of material wraps around equipment at sorting facilities causing sorting to grind to a halt while people work through the challenging task of removing plastic bags and wrap.

Boat wrap can also be reused several times if it is installed and removed with reuse in mind. Look for reuse information online or ask your boat shrink wrap installer about it. For more information, contact the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District by phone at (508) 979-1493 or by email at Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org. For additional tips, visit Dartmouth Recycling on Facebook.

2023 Mooring Renewal

Mooring, vessel, waitlist and reserved dinghy/kayak rack registration ends on March 31, 2023.  This is the same renewal deadline specified in local regulations/by-laws since 2003.  

Reminder invoices were mailed out on February 24, 2023 to each permit holder at the last known address in our database.

Renewal of each mooring, boat permit, waiting list position or reserved dinghy/kayak rack assignment remains the responsibility of each individual permit holder.

Inquiries and requests for electronic invoice reminders may be made prior to the 3/31 deadline by emailing harbormaster@dartmouthharbormaster.com

2023 Seasonal Launch/Park Permits

Starting this week, the 2023 Arthur F. Dias Town Landing Launch/Parking permits are available for sale at the Town Collector’s Office, Dartmouth Town Hall.  Season permits to this facility remain the same price as last year, $60 per decal.  Each vehicle or vehicle/trailer combination requires an individual permit.  No duplicate or “second vehicle” permit exemptions apply.  Annual permits are available only at the Town Collector’s Office, Dartmouth Town Hall.  The Dartmouth Harbormaster Office does not have season landing permits to sell.

2023 Waterways Invoices

The 2023 annual Waterways Invoices are in the process of being printed for postal delivery to the last addresses we have on file as of December 2022. If you would like to receive an individual, digital copy of your Waterways Invoice, please send an email to our office at:harbormaster@dartmouthharbormaster.com

Email is our preferred method of communication as staffing is limited during the off season. We will respond quickly to all email inquires we receive. We are unable to respond to telephone calls or messages in a timely manner at this time.  Please use email to contact our office, to request an invoice, or to seek any information related to moorings, boats or launching.
Thank you!

2022 Float Update – Dias Landing

To protect the dock floats associated with the Town Pier and Launch Ramps at the Dias Landing located at 75 Gulf Road from winter weather and ice, all floats and gangways attached to that facility will be removed during the week of November 28, 2022.  These floats will be stored in the facility parking area until the spring of 2023. 

The ramps and pier will remain open for use at the discretion and sole risk of individual mariners.

Pumpout Services End for Season

With the predicted freezing temperatures upon us, pumpouts have concluded in order to winterize the pumpout equipment. Pumpouts will resume in the spring of 2023.

Thank you for using the pumpout service this year and helping keep our waterways clean!

HM Office

Notice of Continued Shellfish Closure – North Padanaram Harbor

The annual re-opening of Dartmouth’s north (Apponagansett Bay) harbor will not occur on
November 1st this year (2022). Recent water qualities testing results showed at least five areas
of concern and require that the north harbor remain “closed” to all shellfish harvesting.
Possible sources of the sub-standard water quality include a late season influx of birds and
waterfowl feeding upon an abundance of baitfish, as well as several recent heavy rain storms
following an extremely dry summer season.


The State Division of Marine Fisheries is responsible for testing water samples from specific
sample sites. The Dartmouth Harbormaster Staff assists with collecting water samples, but the
State laboratory ensures the safety of the water quality from which all shellfish are harvested. It
is anticipated that another round of water samples will be collected and tested ASAP.


The entire north side of Apponagansett Bay, Padanaram Harbor will remain “closed” to all shell
fish harvesting until the water quality is ensured. The areas that have been open to the south
of the Padanaram Bridge Causeway (Smith Neck Road, south of Bush Point, and the outer
harbor) will remain open to harvesting at this time. Only the North harbor is impacted with this
continued closure.

Weekly Pumpout List Concluded

The weekly pump out list has concluded as of today, 9/23/2022. Pump outs will continue to occur on an as needed and as available basis. We will continue to pump out vessels until we are projected to receive below freezing temperatures. Please plan accordingly and request remaining pump outs well in advance when possible.