Florida News

August 26, 2010

Proposed Changes to Mooring and Anchoring in Biscayne Nationa Park

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing changes to anchoring and mooring in Biscayne National Park.  If this is an area that you or your friends enjoy, we encourage you to learn more about their plan and let the NPS know your thoughts before the deadline of September 3. 

NPS wants to "reduce damage to park resources, enhance visitor opportunities, increase safety of navigation in the park, and improve the effectiveness of park operations." Their preferred plan "would exercise greater control of visitor access to and use of certain areas of the park, and expand access and visitor opportunities in others." 

The proposal includes:

• Installing more moorings at various places in the park.  (But there is little information on how many will be added, how they will be maintained, or how they will be paid for.)
• Restrictions on anchoring.  Boats can use only NPS moorings in some areas, with no anchoring allowed at Stiltsville, Fowey Rocks, Brewster and Star Reefs, Sands Cuts Shoals, Elliott Key:  Anchorage, Harbor and vicinity, and East of Keys.
• No rafting allowed while on a NPS mooring.
• A reduction or elimination of beaching of boats.
• More markers for channels, park boundary’s, Featherbeds, and hazardous areas.
• Additional educational signs and information for visitors.

To see the complete NPS Mooring Buoy and Marker Plan Environmental Assessment:

 http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=353&projectID=26660&documentID=35247

Ready to comment?

NPS needs to hear your thoughts about their plan.  We encourage you to also provide specific information about how your family uses the park, as well as any questions that you have about the proposal. 

Please be aware that your entire comment will become public record, and can be made public to others.  (This includes your address, phone, etc.)  You can ask that personal information not be released (prominently at the beginning of your comment), but NPS won’t guarantee they will do so. 
 
To submit your comments:

http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=35247

Write directly in the "comments" box, instead of attaching a word document.

Mail your comments with a postmark on or before 9/3/10 to:

Biscayne National Park
Attn: Mooring Buoy and Marker EA Comments
9700 SW 328 Street
Homestead, FL  33033

April 21 , 2010

Florida Legislative Alert: Action needed

Contact your state Representative and ask them to oppose Florida House Bill 7127 and support Senate Bill 346 when each bill is debated on the House floor this week. These bills address how to implement the 2008 Constitutional Amendment 6 (Working Waterfronts) that 70% of Floridians supported, so marinas and boatyards are not taxed at the highest rate possible.

To find your local representative, their Tallahassee phone number and email: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx Then click "Find Your Representative".

• We oppose House Bill 7127. It will destroy two years of efforts to give boat yards and marinas an equitable tax assessment so they can afford to stay in business and provide the water access so badly needed by boaters. This bill expands tax relief to larger businesses and ports that were not the original intent of the constitutional amendment. If passed, this expansion may leave the new law open for a long court challenge. This means marinas and boat yards may still be taxed at the highest possible property tax rate for years and boaters will incur higher prices for slips and services. To read the bill click here: House Bill 7127

• We support Senate Bill 346. It fully implements 2008 Constitutional Amendment 6 and is supported by all marine interests. To read the bill click here: Senate Bill 346

For more background on Amendment 6:

BoatUS Press Release on Amendment 6

BoatUS Magazine article on Amendment 6

January 1 , 2010

Changes to Florida Boater Education Law

Florida has modifyied its boater education requirement starting January 1st, 2010.  Boat operators who were born on or after Jan.1, 1988, must pass an approved boating-safety course and possess photographic identification and a boating-safety education identification card issued by the FWC to legally operate a boat with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. Information on the boating safety identification card can be found at the Florida Wildlife Commission web site, www.myfwc.com. The BoatU.S. Boating Safety Course, www.boatus.org/onlinecourse, is an approved course in the state of Florida.

November 5, 2009

Local Meeting on Boat Use in Silver Glen Run

On Tuesday night, November 10th, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will host a public meeting about boating in Silver Glen Run, which lies off Lake George and the St Johns River. FWC staff wants to talk with boaters about both short range and long range concerns that have been brought up by the U.S. Forest Service.

In FWC's words, "staff is planning on compiling suggestions and ideas from the public on ways to balance and sustain recreational uses while minimizing environmental impact in Silver Glen Run." If this is a boating area you enjoy, we encourage you to attend this meeting and be ready to talk through ideas for the Glen.

Tuesday, November 10, from 6-8 pm

Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center (1st floor training room)
123 W. Indiana Avenue
DeLand, FL 32720

More information from FWC:

http://www.myfwc.com/docs/RecreationActivities/Boat_Workshop_SilverGlen.pdf

September 11, 2009

Possible Changes in Biscayne National Park

The National Park Service (NPS) is developing a new fisheries management plan for Biscayne National Park. Of the five proposed alternative plans, three of them could make significant changes in sportfishing regulations and would require all boats engaged in any recreational activity in the Park to have a recreational use permit.

For more details:

http://www.nps.gov/bisc/parkmgmt/fisheries-management-plan.htm

and http://parkplanning.nps.gov.

In the coming weeks you can share your thoughts on the five alternative proposals with National Park Service.

Please consider attending a meeting next week or submitting public comments online (due before 10/6/09) at http://parkplanning.nps.gov.

Meetings will be held from 6 - 9 pm at the following locations:

Tuesday, 9/15: Florida City City Hall, 404 W. Palm Drive, Florida City, 33034
Wednesday, 9/16: Crowne Plaza Hotel, 950 NW 42 Ave, Miami, 33126
Thursday, 9/17: Holiday Inn, 99701 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, 33037

If you get to a meeting, and have a minute to share your impressions of it, please email us!

July 28, 2009

NEW BoatUS Anchoring Information for Florida Cruisers!  

For several years, certain local cities and counties in Florida have been restricting the length of time that boats are allowed to anchor.  Legislative changes were made recently to Florida law which should increase the boater’s ability to anchor within Florida.  Some changes take effect July 1, 2009 and others on October 1, 2009. 

Unfortunately, many local law enforcement personnel appear to be unaware of the changes.  Boaters continue to be told by some officials that they are subject to anchoring limits.

BoatU.S. has researched and written a fact sheet about the anchoring portions of the law, with citations.  If you or a friend are cruising in Florida and intend to put down a hook, we strongly advise you to read this sheet and carry it with you on the boat. Click here for the Anchoring Information Sheet.

Florida Update!

July 22, 2009

Update on FL legislation passed May 2009:

This spring, the legislature passed HB 1423, which included a diverse set of topics affecting boaters.  While Governor Crist signed it in early June, much of the bill takes effect July 1 or October 1, 2009.  Topis of interest include:  seagrass, a change in the definition of liveaboard vessel, change in the BUI level, mandatory boater education, local government authority for live-aboards and anchoring, anti-derelict measures, pilot program for mooring fields, coral reef protection program, and a new shoreline fishing permit.

Click here for the BoatU.S. summary of this legislation, as well as links to the exact legislative language.

April 29, 2009

NOTICE TO NAVIGATION INTERESTS
OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY , FLORIDA

March 31, 2009

There is a new version of HB 1423, not yet available through the legislature website, but click here to view all of it's 64 pages! (Remember that this bill format shows existing language in regular type. Deletions are shown crossed out while additions are underlined.)

BoatUS is in strong support of this legislation as it's written today, because it clarifies that the counties can work on the derelict vessel issue without hampering legitimate cruising. It also implements mandatory boating safety education for those born after January 1, 1988 and operation a boat with 10 hp or more. It repeals the FL fishing license shoreline exemption (so that FL anglers will not have o pay a second federal license fee.) It also sets up pilot mooring field projects with guidlines subject to a whole lot of public review.

Stand by as this issue continues to evolve.

March 19, 2009

Big Helping of Legislation on BoatUS Plate

Tallahassee bill includes boating safety, fishing licenses, and anchoring regulations.

BoatU.S is currently engaged in several boating related legislative proposals in the Florida state legislature. In the last few weeks the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has put several of its proposals into one bill, House Bill 1423. In the Senate, there are two bills: SB 2536 and SB 2618.

For current status on these bills, click here:

HB 1423

SB 2536

SB 2618

Background:

In the House, many issues are combined into one fifty page bill.

Click here for a copy of the introduced language:

HB 1423 addresses:

• Trying to resolve some anchoring issues and creating pilot projects to test new anchoring/mooring scenarios
• Creating phased in mandatory boating education; Changing the age that kids must wear a lifejacket to “under 10”
• Increasing registration requirements for boats being stored on the water
• Removing the shoreline exemption for a FL fishing license so that in the future, FL anglers don't have to pay for both a federal and a FL fishing license.

BoatU.S. is aware that a primary reason the Florida anchoring debate is so strong is the numbers of truly derelict or abandoned vessels in waterways across the state. What will happen to them during the next storm, and how will they impact others? While we actively seek solutions to reduce the abandoned boat problem nationwide, we know that the vast majority of boats and boaters are viable contributors to local economies and we believe that boaters should be treated as such.

Status

HB 1423 passed out of its first committee this week without any amendments. The sponsor, Rep. Baxter Troutman, expects well over 20 proposed amendments when the bill is heard again. The Senate bill has not yet been placed on an agenda. BoatU.S. is at the table working in both the House and Senate to find solutions to the problems without granting local governments undue added authority over boats and anchoring.

This issue will continue to change over the next six weeks of the Legislative session and most probably won't be decided until the closing moments of session in early May.

We encourage Florida boaters (or those aspiring to cruise there!) to check back often for the latest updates as this issue continues to develop. If you have particular thoughts you want to make sure we hear, send us an email to govtaffairs@boatus.com

Thanks!

March 25, 2009

Locks on Okeechobee Waterway Closing for Repairs

Due to regularly scheduled maintenance in the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW), mariners are strongly advised that the following should be taken into consideration whether transiting Lake Okeechobee or stopping for recreational activities such as fishing.

Click Here for more details

February 10, 2009

Contact: Tim Woody, 850-488-5600

FWC seeks applications for boating grants

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is accepting applications for anticipated grant funds under the Florida Boating Improvement Program. County governments, municipalities and other governments within Florida are eligible to apply

.

The program provides funding through competitive grants for boating-access projects and other boating-related activities on Florida’s coastal and inland waters. Eligible uses of program funds include boat ramps and other public launching facilities, piers, docks, waterway markers, derelict vessel removal, boater education and economic development.

The deadline for submitting grant applications for fiscal year 2009-10 funding is April 2.

Visit MyFWC.com/boating/grants to read the complete program guidelines and to download an application form. For more information, e-mail FBIP@MyFWC.com or call 850-488-5600.

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CMP/DLE

PCB

UPDATE: November 5, 2008 - FL Amendment 6 Passes.  Thanks to the help of BoatUS Members in Florida and different organizations. Amendment information below.

October 2008: Help Preserve Florida's Working Waterfronts - Voting Amendment Information for November 4

In recent years dozens of Florida wet-slip marinas, waterfront dry stack storage facilities and boat service yards have been squeezed out of business by huge increases in real estate taxes, leaving you and your fellow boaters with fewer and fewer places to keep your boats and higher slip fees and storage costs.

Why is this happening? Because the current property appraisal system in Florida forces counties to apply "highest and best use" value to waterfront business property, not current use value. That means the businesses we boaters rely on are taxed as if they were high-end condominiums or waterfront resorts. You can help change that at the polls on November 4th, 2008:

 A "Yes" vote on Amendment 6 will bring down the property taxes on the following marine working waterfronts to reflect the property's current use:

• Marinas and docks open to the public for water access and recreational uses;
• Public vessel launches into navigable inland and coastal waterways;
• Commercial fishing facilities;
• Water-dependent marine manufacturing facilities;
• Marine vessel construction and repair facilities.

BoatUS supports Amendment 6 and we hope you will too on Nov 4. We need your help to get the 60% voter approval required to pass this very important amendment.
For more information: www.saveourwaterfronts.com

May 24, 2006

US Customs and Border Protection
Announces 2006 Pleasure Boating Clearance Procedures

See the Customs and US Border Travel Information for Recreational Boaters page under the State & Regional Information section.