The longer it takes for the NSW government to introduce a permanent dredging solution for Swansea Channel, the more chance there is of skippers taking their boats and their tourism dollars elsewhere, a Hunter MP says.
It comes as Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie figures show that its members were called to escort 55 vessels through the channel in 2021, but have already eclipsed that number with more than 60 so far this month.
The government announced in December that it planned to dredge the popular marine thoroughfare in the first half of 2022.
Enough sand to fill 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools is expected to be removed.
But Swansea MP Yasmin Catley said the fact that a tender for the work had not yet been awarded showed the plan was "too little, too late".
"We are approaching the end of summer and the government have still not provided a date for when the channel will be dredged," she said.
Ms Catley said an ongoing solution was required to keep the channel clear for skippers and their vessels.
"The longer the government fails to introduce a permanent dredging solution, the longer local and visiting boaties will be prevented from travelling through the lake," she said.
"The NSW government must establish a permanent dredging solution for Swansea Channel."
The Newcastle Herald reported earlier this month that some skippers had been cancelling their bridge bookings - which allow them to pass under Swansea Bridge - because of the state of the channel.
Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie commander Malcolm Druce said there were 14 cancellations in one week alone recently.
NSW Maritime has told the Herald it is conducting a Review of Environmental Factors, which is expected to be complete by next month, before it calls for tenders for the work.
In a statement in December announcing the funding for dredging, NSW Maritime's acting executive director Darren Wood said the Swansea Channel was a top priority.
"Funding had been allocated for a major dredging campaign of the Swansea Channel in 2022, improving the functionality necessary to maintain navigation channels and provide access to Lake Macquarie that has become restricted by natural sand shoaling," he said.
