Tickets can now be issued for boats on verge of going derelict
Instead of waiting for neglected and abandoned boats to meet the strict criteria of illegal derelicts — often too late to prevent difficult, expensive removal problems — Florida police now can write $50 non-criminal violation tickets to owners who evidently are letting their boats deteriorate on public waterways.
A state law that took effect in July creates a category called “at risk.” Phil Horing, who’s in charge of derelict vessel problems for the Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) Commission, explains: “This law allows officers to take action before a vessel crosses that line between at-risk and derelict, and hopefully prompts the owner to rectify any issues with the vessel before it reaches a state of disrepair.”
If you’ve ever tried to sic the cops on a neighbor’s beaten-up boat that’s listing badly with trees growing in the cracks, or one that’s deteriorating unattended in a mooring field or anchorage, you’ve learned what a headache it can be to get anything done about it. It takes a long time and by then the boat’s in no condition to simply be towed away.
Now, though, tickets can be issued for the following conditions:
- l The vessel is taking on or has taken on water without an effective means (such as working pumps) to remove it.
- Spaces on the vessel that are designed to be enclosed can’t be sealed or are open to the elements for extended periods of time.
- The vessel has broken loose or is in danger of breaking loose from its anchor.
- The boat is left or stored aground, unattended, in a way that would prevent it from getting under way, it’s listing because of water inside or it’s partially to fully sunk.
If a boat fits any of those descriptions, an officer can issue a ticket requiring the owner to correct the problem or face stronger penalties after 30 days.
Owners who don’t fix their boats can face additional fines of $100 after 30 days and $250 after the next 30 days. The law authorizes county and municipal police, as well as FWC officers, to write the tickets.
Failure to pay the fines or appear in court will be classified as a second-degree misdemeanor, effectively changing a non-criminal offense to a crime.
Local government costs of removing derelict boats can be defrayed with the help of grants issue by FWC.
For information on that, contact the Derelict Vessel Program office at 850-617-9540 or email DVGrant@MyFWC.com.