Public use of the Des Moines Marina boat launch has been decreasing since 1998, with few exceptions, Harbormaster Joe Dusenbury told a gathering of local residents March 6.

Dusenbury discussed changes planned for the marina during a talk at the North Hill Community Club.

In 2003, he noted, there was a large increase over the 2002 launches - something Dusenbury credited to an increase in salmon runs that year.

Dusenbury said business at the boat launch is strongly related to fishing.

Overall, however, "The use of the launcher has gone down pretty significantly recently," he observed.

The number of launches of boats smaller than 24 feet declined from 5,669 in 1998 to 2,989 in 2005.

Launches of 24- to 27-feet boats also declined, but only by a small margin - from 579 in 1998 to 499 in 2005.

"It really becomes a numbers game," Dusenbury said of plans to remove the boat sling launch and replace it with a restaurant.

There have been no rate increases for using the boat launch, which could have driven away some business, since 1998, he noted. There is just a declining number of people using the service.

The marina master plan calls for the boat launch to be closed during phase one of marina upgrades, which Dusenbury said will be a 10-year process.

That will occur when the bulkhead where the boat launch is located is rebuilt.

The earliest this will happen would be September 2009.

Des Moines resident Dick Thomas expressed sadness at the thought of losing the boat launch.

"Economically it's the right way to go," Thomas said.

But, he asked, "Why do you have a boat launch? For economic benefit, or for the enjoyment of the citizens?"

"There is no finer boat launch facility on the West Coast, but the business is going away," Dusenbury replied.

The marina master plan was finished and adopted last year by the city council, which has the final say on what is done at the marina.

Dusenbury also said the restaurant currently at the marina struggled and when its lease is up in two years, that space will likely go to the boatyard.

There is also the possibility of another small restaurant going in if the boat launch is shut down.

The marina master plan is available at the Des Moines Library, or at the city's website at www.desmoineswa.gov.