Mooring Fields & Fees

The HDC manages the 496 moorings in the inner and outer harbors and oversees the public mooring fields for residential (recreational), commercial, marine industrial, and transient use.

View the Inner Harbor map and the general location of the Pope's Island and Gifford Street mooring fields, boat ramps, and dinghy docks.  See all Mooring Fields.

The HDC Mooring Categories

The HDC offers three categories of moorings to harbor customers:

• Private/Recreational Moorings - for recreational boaters who want either seasonal or transient rental fees
• Commercial Moorings - for New Bedford marine businesses who rent moorings as part of their business operation
• Marine Industrial Moorings - for New Bedford commercial marine industrial use

These moorings are also available to boaters during extreme weather events.

Transient moorings are recreational moorings. For more information see Recreational Moorings

Private/Recreational Mooring Fees:

Seasonal mooring - $150 annually

Transient Mooring Fees:

Rates vary from $30 and up per night.  You can rent a mooring from the private companies listed below or from the HDC ($35 and up)

• Bayline Boatyard
• Captain Leroy's
• Whaling City Marina

• The HDC Rates:
• Boats ≤ than 45’ LOA  - $35.00 per night
• Boats ≥ than 46’ LOA  - $40.00 per night
• Second boat rafted (must be ≤ LOA of primary boat) - $15.00 per night

Commercial (Rental) Mooring Fees                                          

$150 annually for each mooring (commercial users pay a reduced fee of $125 for moorings they have not been able to rent).

Marine Industrial Mooring Fees

$150 annually for each mooring

The HDC Commissioners vote on and set the rates, and rules and regulations for all categories of mooring customers and are published in the Official Mooring and Anchoring Regulations (updated through July 2011) in both hard copy and on-line.

HDC Management of Mooring Fields

The Harbor Attendants operate and maintain the ten mooring fields in the inner and outer Harbor consisting of a total of 496 moorings as well as two dingy docks (Pope's Island Marina and Gifford Street). The chart below lists the mooring fields and number of moorings per field.

Harbor Attendants are responsible for assigning moorings and keeping track of user applications submitted annually. The Harbor Attendants also manage the annual billing and disseminate copies of the current Mooring and Anchoring Regulations. As required by Massachusetts General Law, waiting lists are maintained for mooring assignments.

How to apply for a mooring with the HDC

Download Mooring Permit Application Forms:
Private/Recreational Application or Commercial Application or Marine/Industrial Applicaiton

Fax or submit the Mooring Permit Application to the HDC:  Fax # is 508.979.1517

Rules and Regulations:

• Any person or business who desires an annual permit for the placement on a temporary basis of a recreational or commercial mooring to secure a vessel, float, raft, or related structure held by a permanent bottom-anchored mooring system must submit a written Mooring Application to the HDC, together with a one-time, non-refundable application fee.
• The application fee is for the processing of the application and is separate from any mooring permit fee required herein.
• No part of a mooring system, including anchor or ground tackle, may be set prior to the issuance of a permit by the HDC for the placement or maintenance of said mooring at a location established and approved by the HDC.
• Any mooring system set without authorization of the HDC may be removed immediately by the HDC and the expense associated therewith will be the responsibility of the applicant/owner and the permit application shall be forfeited.
• All ground tackle and other appurtenances shall be deemed abandoned and disposed of by the Harbor Development Commission at the owner's expense.