No Anchoring Out in Miami?

The state of Florida may make it harder to anchor out in Miami, according to legislation pending there.

The problem is to create a balance between the rights of responsible boat owners and the actions of owners of poorly maintained or derelict boats that can wash ashore or are abandoned after storms, making taxpayers pay the bill for a cleanup or removal.

Now, two bills recently introduced in the Florida legislature lump those two groups of boat owners together by restricting them all. Indeed, Senate Bill 192 and its companion House Bill 437 would go into effect on July 1 and ban overnight anchoring for all vessels within 200 yards of seven islands in Biscayne Bay: Biscayne, De Lido, Hibiscus, Palm, Rivo Alto, San Marino, and San Marco.

Cruising boat owners often anchor off these islands while reprovisioning, waiting for a weather window to jump off to the Bahamas or the Caribbean, or simply to enjoy a great place to stay while visiting Miami or Miami Beach.

BoatUS is now urging boat owners to oppose these bills. “Using state law to prohibit anchoring in specific areas takes away public access to a shared resource for the benefit of only a few waterfront property owners,” said David Kennedy, BoatUS’s manager of government affairs. “The reality is these bills will do nothing to decrease the number of derelict and at-risk vessels in Biscayne Bay – these boats will simply move to other areas. There are also federal and state laws that already address the challenge of derelict vessels and waterway discharges, but we don’t see resources being put into enforcing these laws already on the books.”

Local governments already have a path to manage anchorages by enacting Anchorage Limitation Areas, which can limit anchoring to 45 days within a six-month period. They also provide short-term exemptions for poor weather. Dade County, which includes the seven islands, is already in the process of implementing an ALA in the area.

BoatUS urges Sunshine State boat owners to have their voice heard by sending a message to their Florida House and Senate legislators on this issue. Non-Florida residents may send a message by signing a petition here.