Speeding sailors have been warned they could face prosecution if they break Dart bylaws.

And boat owners who leave their vessels unlit at night could face the same.

The warning came as the Dart Harbour board went hi-tech to keep berth holders up to date with what is going on – via a new monthly email newsletter.

The newsletter has gone out to more than 2,000 harbour users and mooring holders from one end of the Dart to the other. And the board is hoping to enlarge its email database to reach even more sailors.

The first of the planned newsletters included a whole range of information from hikes in mooring fees to new navigational marks on the river.

The newsletter also warned sailors that speeding and vessels left unlit at night were two issues 'close to our hearts and to those of most river users'.

It added: 'Dart Harbour takes a very dim view of breaking these two bylaws.

'River users who do this need to know that they run the risk of potential criminal prosecution for safety related transgressions. We now have remote and low profile methods of detecting and recording speeding vessels so please ensure that you conform to all Byelaws at all times.'

Deputy harbourmaster Nick Clarance pointed out that a six-knot speed limit was in force on the Dart from the Castle Ledge buoy in the entrance to the river right up to the weir at Totnes.

He warned that if there was a problem with serial speeders the harbour authority had the capability of bringing in sophisticated speed detection equipment.

He said the decision to launch the email newsletter stemmed directly from the last Dart Harbour annual meeting.

'The aim is to improve our communication and let everyone know what is going on. It was picked up at the AGM that we should be communicating better,' he said.

He said it was hoped that with an improved email database the board would be able to reach virtually all the mooring holders and harbour users almost instantly rather than having to rely on letters.

The email pointed out there had been a hike in the majority of mooring fees for berth holders of five percent for the coming financial year but there had been no rise in harbour dues.

Harbourmaster Rob Giles added: 'In real terms, this means an approximate three per cent rise for the majority of berth holders, in line with the current rate of inflation.

'I wish to say that the decision to increase charges is never taken lightly, but we do run cash flow models to try to predict the financial future of the harbour. This rise is the minimum necessary to carry out all our duties, keep the harbour staffed, and maintain and improve all of the infrastructure to a safe standard.'

Mr Giles pointed out that a new Marine Bill likely to be passed would give the harbour board a more flexible method of regulating the harbour.

But he added: 'This is good news for Dart Harbour, but will not be a cue for me to start laying down onerous regulations, as some organisations would have us believe.'

The electronic newsletter also touched on changes to Kingswear pontoon berths, the access to the new Stoke Gabriel pontoons and the Dart Harbour Marine Conservation Zone which has been excluded from the current round of consultations.