Yellowknife (May 11/05) - A barge parked in a public boat launch has a neighbour rankled, and at least one boat owner wondering if he'll make it onto the water this summer.

Mark Winter said the approximately 40-50 foot barge owned by commercial fisherman Archie Buckley has been frozen in at the Old Town launch since October.

Winter worries it will remain a stinky eyesore for many long days to come.

"It probably will (smell) considering the amount of seagulls I see at the other barge there," said Winter.

Winter's property sits adjacent to the launch, and next door to a wharf popularly known as the "Government dock." The dock is owned and maintained by the federal Department of Public Works.

Winter said he complained about the two-storey-tall white barge about the size of several house boats on Yellowknife Bay, but said it seems like Public Works only cares as long the vessel is out of its jurisdiction.

The department has ordered Buckley to move the barge a minimum of 20 feet from the dock once the ice is gone.

Winter said he fears that's all the barge owner is prepared to do, and that's not good enough.

If that's the case, Winter said not only will the barge be in the way of other boats and floatplanes, it will hem him and his family in as well.

"It's just like as if somebody launched a barge on Frame Lake and towed it out in front of City Hall," said Winter.

"I don't think that would fly no matter what the story is."

Hak Mujcin, who owns a 47-foot pleasure craft, said the boat launch is the only spot with a deep enough entry to launch his boat into Great Slave Lake.

Owners of other large boats who use the launch are also concerned, he said.

"Big boats like mine, I can't even get through the town to get to Giant (Mine dock) it's so big," said Mujcin.

"I need about seven-foot deep to launch it in."

Buckley said he is following the rules and everybody should stop complaining. He pointed to rules of the dock that state that commercial fishing vessels are considered top priority when it comes to docking space by the federal government.

Meet Buckley in court

He moved his barge there, Buckley said, to make it easier for his customers to buy fish from him.

Before, they would have to venture over to his barge off Jolliffe Island or wait until fish was brought over to the mainland and sold from shore.

He said if anyone feels they have a serious complaint, they can meet him in court.

"I got more rights on water than anybody in Yellowknife because I'm the only licensed fisherman on this part of the lake," said Buckley.

"If they got any complaints they shouldn't go like babies, and go around the corner and try and get into the (news) paper."

"(Mujcin) is talking about a play toy boat; me, I'm not play toy. I'm commercial, I'm serving the community with fresh fish," Buckley said.

Public Works communications officer Tracey Sales confirmed they spoke with Buckley last month, telling him he has to move his barge after the ice melts.

But that's not all.

An internal meeting is set for today to discuss Buckley's plans for mooring the barge close to the government dock, said Ron Allen, area director for Fisheries and Oceans.

"We've had a couple people refer that issue to us lately," said Allen.

"Folks on the Coast Guard side of our department are going to have a discussion with me about those complaints and associated issues and how we might deal with it."