Squatters ‘spoil’ island in waterway

People have taken up residence on a spoil island in Anna Maria Sound, prompting concerns from mariners and residents and action from authorities.

The previously unoccupied island, located north of the Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue adjacent to the northwest end of Perico Bayou and the Intracoastal Waterway is known locally as “Gilligan’s Island.”

The name for the spit of land in the waterway came from a sitcom that aired on TV in the 1970s. The series featured the comic adventures of seven people marooned after a three-hour tour.

But this is no sitcom. The island became the source of public outcry after a video surfaced on Facebook showing makeshift structures, furniture, an array of boats and boat parts and detritus scattered across the shoreline.

“I guess squatters and homeless are living on Gilligan’s Island now,” one Facebook member wrote in response to the video.

Another social media commenter said, “So sad. Used to be a sweet place to kayak from the preserve.”

Manatee County sheriff’s information officer Randy Warren in a May 8 interview told The Islander the sheriff’s office was aware of the situation but emphasized that enforcement for the possible unlawful residency falls under the jurisdiction of the state. “Unless there are blatant criminal activities occurring, the state is responsible for addressing issues on the spoil islands within state waters,” he said.

He said the county had alerted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection about the makeshift residence.

Spoil islands are small land masses formed as a result of the creation of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, a 9-foot-deep and 100-foot-wide channel stretching from lower Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor, which was developed in 1895 and completed in 1967.

The material dredged from the creation of the waterways was deposited along the edges of the path, forming small islands like Gilligan’s.

Ownership of spoil islands in Manatee County varies, with most under state control, while others are under the jurisdiction of county and federal agencies. The state has management plans for these islands, outlining “best use” designations to ensure their preservation and appropriate utilization.

For instance, Leffis Key in Bradenton Beach was once considered a spoil island and then was restored and developed by Manatee County into a preserve.

The Islander reached out to representatives of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for comment but representatives of the DEP said they were unable to respond due to a May 10 tornado near DEP offices in Tallahassee.

Meanwhile, concerns linger among residents and law enforcement regarding the safety and welfare of boaters and the environment, and the potential impacts of the unauthorized occupation of the island.