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CS/CS/SB 1432 — Vessel Anchoring
by Community Affairs Committee; Environment and Natural Resources Committee; and Senator Rodriguez
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Environment and Natural Resources Committee (EN)
The bill amends statutes relating to vessel anchoring and mooring. It provides that approved and permitted moorings or mooring fields in Monroe County have a 10 year limit on general tenancies and that a sovereign submerged land or other proprietary lease may not prohibit a vessel from an approved and permitted mooring or mooring field, or limit the tenancy of a vessel, because it is an established domicile or a primary residence.
The bill clarifies that Monroe County is designated as an anchoring limitation area in which vessels anchored on waters of the state within the county and within 10 linear nautical miles of a public mooring field or designated anchoring area must pull anchor, move under their own power, and re-anchor a certain distance away or in a different designated anchoring area.
This must occur at least once every 90 days. The requirement does not apply to vessels moored to approved and permitted moorings, or to domiciled vessels on the waters of the state within the county until at least 100 new moorings are available for public use within 1 mile of Key West Bight City Dock.
The bill requires the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to consult with Monroe County and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to establish designated anchoring areas throughout the county that meet certain criteria.
The bill requires certain vessels on the waters of the state within Monroe County that are equipped with a marine sanitation device to maintain a record of the date and location of each pump-out of the device, which must occur every 30 days, for one year after the date of the pump-out.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2022.
Vote: Senate 38-0; House 112-0