BoatUS Foundation calls on boaters to take action on abandoned vessels this boating season
by Bradley Weaver 21 Jun 06:00 PDT
Abandoned Derelict Vessels © BoatUS Foundation
This summer, the BoatUS Foundation is urging boaters and coastal residents to help address the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) by reporting them through the nation's only and first of its kind national abandoned vessel database.
Built to turn individual sightings into collective action, each report strengthens a national understanding of the issue, empowering communities, agencies, and advocates to identify risks, prioritize removals, and accelerate efforts to keep waterways clean.
Abandoned boats cause significant damage to waterways, crushing seagrass and coral habitats, leaking fuel and pollutants, blocking navigation channels, and putting other boaters at risk. With removal costs averaging $24,000 or more depending on the size, location and condition of the vessel, identifying where they are is a critical first step to getting them out of the water.
"Boaters now have an easy way to take action when they encounter an abandoned vessel," said Alanna Keating, Director of Outreach for the BoatUS Foundation. "By reporting a vessel, a boater is taking the first step to help give communities and agencies the information they need to prioritize cleanups and stop the problem before it grows."
To report an abandoned or derelict vessel, boaters can visit boatus.org/database. Once on the site, users can upload an optional photo, log the date and time of the sighting, answer a brief set of safety and vessel-related questions, and pinpoint the vessel's exact location on an interactive map.
The database is part of BoatUS Foundation's national initiative to remove hundreds of ADVs from coastal waterways, supported by a 2023 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. This initiative also supports targeted ADV removals in eight states and territories, as well as a national summit on sustainable disposal solutions for ADVs, called Turning the Tide Summit.