1,000s Of Abandoned Boats Of All Types Pollute US Estuaries, Rivers, Beaches, Typically Abandoned After Hurricanes

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Around the U.S., thousands of abandoned, derelict vessels—many ruined by climate-fueled tropical storms—pollute oceans and waterways, disrupting local ecosystems. Addressing the problem can be time consuming and costly, often averaging more than $24,000 to remove a single boat. Many states lack a protocol for dealing with this supersized litter. To help fill in the gaps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is working with nonprofits to fund projects for tackling abandoned vessels.

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The problem can get worse when boats are not removed swiftly. For example, in 2015, an 83-foot steel-hulled fishing vessel broke free of its mooring during a typhoon off the Northern Mariana Islands, and sat grounded on the coast until another typhoon further chipped away at the vessel in 2018. The boat was finally removed in 2021, according to NOAA. Even without damage from a storm, officials say owners sometimes simply set their boats adrift or leave them to decay because proper disposal can be costly and many landfills do not accept them. Florida officials recently facilitated a $195,000 mission to remove a 100-foot submarine that corroded in a canal off the Keys for decades, USA Today reports. The owner was fined $1,200 in 2023 and given 12 months of probation, which he completed, Keys Weekly reports.

These sitting vessels can wreak havoc on ecosystems, leaking fuels and oil that poison coral, fish and seabirds, according to NOAA. Over time, more pieces of these ships may break off, spreading microplastics and debris throughout the water. Derelict vessels also pose navigational risks for active boaters who don’t see the threat at the surface. “If a propeller gets tangled up in it, that could be many thousands of dollars to repair,” boat captain Steve Eftimiades told CBS News. Experts say up to 500 abandoned boats pollute New York City waters, but the city is preparing to launch a new boat turn-in program to mitigate the problem.

Gear associated with boating activities such as fishing can also come loose in storms, inundating the ocean with nets or ropes that entangle marine life. Since Hurricane Fiona hit eastern Canada in 2022, the government has helped recover more than 690 tons of lost gear. As I’ve covered extensively, rope entanglement is one of the top threats to marine life like North Atlantic right whales.

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https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19082025/todays-climate-ghost-boats-pollution-waterways/