MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Derelict and abandoned boats of various sizes have become a common fixture in the waterways of the Tampa Bay area.
Their presence has long been a big problem for local and state law enforcement officials as well as some waterfront business owners and vessel operators.
Additional issues related to homeless individuals squatting in these boats have started to compound the problem. This has led to a renewed effort by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to spur affected vessel owners to act fast before they have to enforce removal orders.
"We have such a problem here in Cortez and I would say also Bradenton Beach with these boats that end up being left behind by their owners," said Karen Bell, owner of A.P. Bell Fishing Co. "They probably have zero value or minimal value."
From the dock of her long-time Cortez fishing business, Bell could count up to 30 derelict and abandoned vessels that have never moved from their spot and have become a potential navigational hazard not only for her fishing boats but also for recreational boaters and vessels going to and from the area.
"The captains are mostly very seasoned on the water so they deal with it," Bell said. "They just go very slowly, watching out for the anchor lines that spread all over the place and just going around the boats. We literally have to weave in and out and disco around these boats that are just piled up there.
"They're not properly lit, they're not properly anchored. It's a real problem."
Extreme weather and rough tides have often amplified the problem by causing some boats to break away from their mooring.
"In [Hurricane] Ian, a huge big sailboat tore down a neighbor's dock, it's really costly," Bell said. "They have no insurance and are not even really owned by anybody."
"Sometimes they're washing up into our mangroves, sometimes onto county property," said Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge. "Sometimes they just run aground out in the bay and then become a hazard."
Now across Florida, officials have discovered a new dilemma involving unhoused squatters taking over abandoned boats.
"I've seen some rowing across to come shower," Bell said. "We had to start locking the door, but one of the doors was kicked in."
"We have our guess what they are doing with the waste on a vessel that's unable to operate so that's a concern," Van Ostenbridge said. "The sheriff's department will go out and try to visit those folks, talk to them to make sure that they have a plan in place to dispose of waste but it's on our radar and we know it happens."
According to state and local officials, it's at least a 90-day process and can cost an agency up to $15,000 to remove a vessel.
Despite a concerted effort over the years, the FWC said they still have nearly 1,000 active investigations dealing with derelict vessels. Affected boat owners could face potential criminal charges if they fail to comply with removal orders.
"Our biggest thing is to let us know," said Forest Rothchild with the FWC. "If we don't know about the vessels, then we don't know where to necessarily look for them. So we ask the general public not just to work with us but also to be patient."
The FWC said they often find many of the boat owners are out of state or with limited means to take on the task of removal themselves.
They're reminding folks that the agency does have a program in place to assist with removing or taking such vessels of an owner's hands at no cost and into state custody.