BoatUS Foundation Calls on Boaters to Take Action on Abandoned Vessels
With the summer boating season ramping up, 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 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, according to the foundation, 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, in a news release. “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, once on the site, boaters 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 through the foundation’s website.
