Brevard County has started its largest derelict and abandon boat removal effort ever. 2022 Hurricanes Ian and Nicole left almost eighty derelict boats abandoned in the Banana River and Indian River lagoons.
Brevard County Boating and Waterways Coordinator Matt Culver states that his department has begun removing close to 50 derelict boats at an average cost of $7,000 each from Brevard’s waterways. The removal program is expected to take four months to complete. To expedite the process the state has given the sunken boat owners 45 days to remove their boat or turn it over to the state for removal.
Funding for the abandon boat removal effort is coming from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Brevard County Tourist Development Council.
Derelict and at-risk vessels are a concern because they can endanger marine life and habitat, pose threats to public safety, and cause property damage as they drift on or beneath the water’s surface.
The State laws that govern abandon, derelict and at-risk boats and the procedures used to remove them 2011 Florida statute 823.11 and 2022 Florida statute 327.4107.
For more information on derelict boat removal programs visit https://myfwc.com/boating/waterway/derelict-vessels/ and https://www.brevardfl.gov/NaturalResources/BoatingAndWaterways/DerelictVessels
To report a derelict vessel, call the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission at 888-404-3922 or Matt Culver at 321-482-7970. Florida’s reported derelict vessels can be viewed on the FWC Derelict Vessel Atlas.
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