Jesse Scheckner
There’s a new law on Florida’s books to address abandoned, dilapidated boats in state waters.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed SB 164, which increases penalties for violations of the Sunshine State’s derelict vessel laws.
It also creates a free, long-term anchoring permit program starting Jan. 1, 2026, for boat owners who want to affix their ships within one nautical mile of an anchoring point for two weeks or more within 30 days.
Lawmakers in April unanimously passed the measure, sponsored by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez and Rep. Fabián Basabe, both Miami-Dade County Republicans.
Under SB 164, vessel owners who violate long-term anchoring mandates starting July 1 will be subject to penalties ranging from a $100 fine to a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and $10,000 in damages.
The measure also authorizes grants for local governments participating in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) derelict and at-risk vessel program.
FWC defines a derelict vessel as one that is “wrecked, junked, or in insubstantially dismantled condition upon any waters” in Florida.
“They are dangerous for our environment, and they are expensive to remove,” Rodriguez said, adding that SB 164 makes it “easier for law enforcement to identify the owner of a vessel and to determine if a vessel is a public nuisance or at risk of becoming derelict.”
Derelict vessels have long been the bane of many local waterways. Along the Intracoastal Waterway or any one of hundreds of tributaries that run through the state, errant boats can go adrift and run aground.
Some municipalities have already taken matters into their own hands. Indian River County, for instance, has a derelict vessel removal program that partners with the FWC to get those boats out of the way and allows residents to report such disabled watercraft.
And municipalities within that county have gotten increasingly aggressive about removing derelict boats, in cities such as Vero Beach and Indian River Shores.
Lawmakers passed legislation in 2024 to further limit overnight anchoring in certain parts of Biscayne Bay. But the bill did nothing to address long-anchored but abandoned boats whose deterioration over time contributes to the bay’s health maladies, according to Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Miami-Dade Democrat who also filed legislation this Session to deal with the problem.
Jones told Florida Politics that during a tour late last year with Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez, he saw how debris from the decaying vessels affected the bay and contributed to buildups in the city’s stormwater drainage system.
“We’ve seen an increase in individuals who are out on the water or living on the water, and while it’s great that people are enjoying the beauty of Miami-Dade County, our law enforcement officers must have what they need to keep up with that increasing activity,” he said. “So, we’re looking to increase marine patrol on our waters while also giving maintenance departments the resources they need to do their job.”
Miami-Dade began counting the derelict vessels it extracted from its coastal waters in 2007. Last August, the county surpassed 500 boats removed.
Indian River County has a derelict vessel removal program that partners with the FWC to get boats out of the way and allows residents to report such disabled watercraft.
Cities like Vero Beach and Indian River Shores have also grown increasingly aggressive about removing derelict boats.
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Drew Dixon of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
