TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – State lawmakers handed a invoice to crack down on deserted boats with the hopes of holding homeowners financially accountable. The brand new measure goals to extend penalties for homeowners of derelict boats.
Florida is a haven for boaters, many calling it the “boating capital of the world.” However when tragedy hits, like hurricanes Helene and Milton, lots of of vessels develop into displaced.
State lawmakers now wish to maintain homeowners of those very boats accountable, with Senate Bill 164. The invoice handed out of each chambers and now awaits the governor’s signature.
The laws goals to crack down on vessels left to deteriorate in state waters, making it unlawful to reside on a derelict vessel.
“It additionally permits regulation enforcement to declare vessels with repeated violations as public nuisances and holds vessel homeowners solely chargeable for the relocation and disposal prices,” stated State Rep. Fabian Basabe (R-Miami Seaside).
And for many who refuse to shell up the money, it might result in fines and probably forestall them from buying one other vessel sooner or later.
8 On Your Facet met with Officer Bradley Johnson with Florida’s Fish and Wildlife. He talked in regards to the destructive impacts that derelict vessels can have.
“Vessels can injury you realize marine sanctuaries, seagrass beds, and vital vegetation to our wildlife, along with that there may very well be issues like gasoline on board, vessels that may generally leak out into the water, it might pose a navigational hazard to the general public who’re out making an attempt to navigate our waterways, particularly after a storm, when every thing’s shifted round,” Bradley Johnson, the Public Info Officer for FWC Division of Legislation Enforcement stated.
Coming off of hurricanes Helene and Milton, FWC eliminated a complete of 469 vessels from state waters, with six which are nonetheless below investigation.
“We even have a course of the place they’ll flip that boat over to the state of Florida and we will take away and responsibly eliminate that vessel earlier than it turns into derelict, when it might probably pose these environmental hazards or increased value to taxpayers to get that vessel eliminated,” stated Johnson.
The vessel-turn-in program may be discovered here. The price of eradicating, destroying, and disposing of eligible vessels is 100% funded by this system.
