Daytona Beach, FL - The Daytona Beach Police Department is looking to partner with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove derelict vessels from the Halifax River.
Besides being unsightly, they can also be hazards to navigation and create environmental impacts from leaking oil, fuel or sewage from the boat’s waste tank. DBPD says there are at least 10 inoperable vessels – from a small 7-foot boat to a large, 43-foot fully submerged watercraft – in the waterway within the city limits from Wilder Blvd. to Plaza Blvd. At least two of the boats are completely submerged and you can see the masts or cabns of four others.
The city is in the process of submitting a grant application to the FWC in the amount of $57,000, which will pay 100% of the removal and demolition cost. The grant is based on cost estimates for contracting with a specialty company to safely remove and dispose of each vessel. If the grant is awarded, city commissioners will be asked to formally accept the funds and the removal process will begin within 60 days.
Criminal charges could be filed to seek restitution of funds spent on the vessel’s removal from the owners.
