Avoiding a Sinking Should Be First Priorty

An issue that frustrated me while serving on the Monroe County Marine and Port Advisory Committee is the ineffectiveness of the county’s derelict vessel program. A large portion of the time our committee spent during my term was to help shape the development of Monroe County’s Pilot Program Anchoring ordinance. One of the main goals of this ordinance is reduction of derelict vessels.

The committee recognized that motivating owners to maintain their vessels is the first priority. Sadly, there are too many reasons why motivation does not always work. We knew some owners would simply move to unregulated anchorages. Other “Pre-derelict” vessels that remained in the regulated anchorage would be “red tagged,” and sit for weeks or months while the legal process of determining ownership and serving notice ground on. The time between “pre-derelict” and “a sunken boat” is often long enough for a proactive intervention program to be effective. Several suggestions were made to the committee.

One was the provision of an emergency mooring where vessels in distress could be secured and kept afloat. Avoiding a sinking should be the first priority. Sorting out ownership and responsibility should come second.

Another suggestion was “Amnesty Day” – a program used successfully years ago in Marathon. This would expand the county program where owners who surrender their vessel at the transfer station will not be charged disposal fees – a program that works well for small boats. Larger boats (or those without trailers) must be hauled out at a boat yard and trucked to the transfer station. On Amnesty Day, any “pre derelict” vessel that a Monroe County owner can bring to the seawall would be hauled out and disposed of by the county. Some towing companies actually offered free tows. This program would require some funding and take some work, but it is cheaper than salvage.

Vessel owners should accept responsibility and not transfer disposal expense to the county. However, Monroe County often winds up paying the salvage bill. It is in the county’s best interest to keep derelict boats from sinking.

Bill Hunter

Sugarloaf Key