Commercial captains in the Cortez area are calling for state agencies to address a growing issue of derelict and at-risk vessels that pose hazards in Sarasota Bay.
The waters surrounding the fishing village of Cortez have become littered with abandoned, derelict and sunken vessels, creating hazardous conditions for navigation, the captains said.
Despite efforts to engage state authorities such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the guide captains said their concerns have been met with insufficient action.
Guides Katie Tupin of Capt. Katie Scarlett Boat Tours, Kathe Fannon of Capt. Kathe & First-Mate Pup-Pup Charters and Scott Moore of Moore Fishing Charters out of Holmes Beach have been working to educate people on the number of improperly anchored and sunken vessels in bay waters.
Tupin spoke to The Islander July 2 about problems boaters face.
“A lot of the ones that have been there for a couple of years are breaking apart,” Tupin said. “There’s garbage floating everywhere. It’s endangering people, boaters, renters and sea life and there are more boats that have been out there for a while that are getting ready to sink.”
Tupin expressed frustration over a lack of urgency on the state government’s part in response to environmental and public safety threats.
“None of the boats have been removed. So it’s just as bad as it was,” Tupin said. “I’ve not even seen an FWC boat since they sent someone from St. Pete last month to help with a manatee rescue.”
Tupin estimated that between Cortez and Longboat Pass there are 10-12 sunken or derelict vessels requiring removal.
Moore underscored the importance of distinguishing responsible boat owners from those whose vessels pose risk.
“I am not against people living on vessels,” Moore told The Islander July 3. “What I am concerned with are people living on vessels on tidal flats that disrupt the bottom.”
He said the state should implement a policy to determine the minimum depth for a vessel to anchor for long periods to prevent seagrass scouring by boats that come to rest on the bottom during low tides.
He also said vessel owners should not beach boats on mangrove shorelines, particularly those that serve as rookeries for bird populations.
Business operator Karen Bell, who owns Star Fish Co. and A.P. Bell Fish Co. in Cortez, said captains who come to and from the docks must navigate many anchor lines and sunken vessels.
She called for a quicker turnaround on removals.
“It doesn’t seem like they are making any progress,” Bell said July 2, referring to the state removal program. “I don’t know if something happened because it’s been about a year. We should be seeing more stuff moving out of there.”
Bell said she intended to continue to reach out to the FWC for answers.
She said she and others in the community had been trying to maintain a dialogue with the FWC and Manatee County about policing at-risk vessels and the removal of derelict boats.
However, she said, efforts to engage authorities for quicker responses have had mixed success.
About derelict vessels
A derelict vessel is defined as one that is wrecked, junked or in substantially dismantled condition in any waters of the state.
A vessel is “at risk” of becoming derelict if it is taking on or has taken on water without an effective means to dewater and lacks adequate waterproof hatches to seal the vessel from the elements.
Florida statutes make it unlawful for any person or entity to abandon any derelict vessel in state waters.
The FWC works with municipal governments to have vessels removed from state waters through its derelict vessel grant program, which provides local governments reimbursement for removals.
The FWC also implements a vessel turn-in program to help owners dispose of unwanted at-risk vessels before they become derelict.
Since the inception of the program in 2022, the FWC has received more than 186 applications from at-risk vessels owners, according to a June 17 FWC news release.
Upon approval of an application, the state can accept a surrendered vessel and dispose of it at no cost to the owner.
Removing a vessel before it deteriorates prevents legal ramifications for the owner, protects natural resources and saves taxpayer money, the release states.
The FWC estimates the cost to remove a vessel range $400-$800 per foot, factoring size and location.
The Islander reached out to the FWC for comment by email July 1 but, as of Islander press time July 8, there was no response.
For more information on the FWC’s vessel turn-in program call 850-488-5600 or go online to myfwc.com/boating/waterway/vtip/.
To report a derelict vessel, call Manatee County Marine Resources at 941-748-4501 or call the FWC at 888-404-3922.
People can track derelict vessels in their area online at https://gis.myfwc.com/derelictvessel/.