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Key West finds most of those living 'on the hook' are part of the local workforce

 The city of Key West surveyed people who live anchored out on boats and use the city's dinghy docks and found the vast majority are part of the local workforce.
Nancy Klingener
/
WLRN
The city of Key West surveyed people who live anchored out on boats and use the city's dinghy docks and found the vast majority are part of the local workforce.

A bill in the Florida Legislature would bring a 90-day anchoring limit in the Keys closer by reducing the number of new moorings near Key West from 250 to 100 before it can take effect.

A state law approved last year says boats anchored offshore in the Keys must move every 90 days. But it doesn't take effect until 250 new moorings are added within a mile of the Key West seaport.

Many liveaboard boaters object to the law, saying it would cause unnecessary risk and environmental damage if they have to haul up secure anchors and move every three months.

Now there's a bill in the state Legislature that could make the new rules take effect sooner, by reducing the number of new moorings required from 250 to 100.

The county had originally estimated there were 95 liveaboard boats in the Key West Harbor area.

"With the dockmasters that are there every day, they knew that number was low," said Doug Bradshaw, the city's port director. "I've actually got a couple dockmasters that live in the mooring field or anchored off. They're living it, they're seeing it. So they know there's more."

Bradshaw said the number fluctuates around 200. In January there were 225. He says out of the 225 liveaboard vessels, people on 178 of them said they had jobs in town.

"So obviously there's a large workforce population living out on the hook," he said.

City Commissioner Sam Kaufman says that's evidence that the proposed amendment to the anchoring law won't work.

"With 100 new mooring balls being constructed, there will not be enough for every liveaboard and visitor who would want one," he said.

The city's current mooring field is full, with about 150 moorings and a waiting list, Bradshaw said. The city does expect to clear up about 20 spaces through a new policy that doesn't allow the mooring field to be used to store a boat.

But he said, "there's a lot of folks out there that will never want to go to a mooring. Because there's a cost associated with the mooring. Is 100 enough? Is 200 enough? I'm not sure," he said. "I think 100's probably low. I think 200's probably a little much so I can't answer that until we actually put them out and see who truly wants to go to a mooring."

Monroe County and the state say the limits on anchoring would prevent derelict vessels. Abandoned boats cause environmental damage and are expensive to remove. Last year, the county spent almost $500,000 removing 80 derelict vessels.

Want to keep up with the latest stories out of the Florida Keys like this one? Sign up for The Tieline, our newsletter focused on all things Keys and Monroe County. The newsletter will arrive in your inbox twice a month and is written and curated by WLRN’s southernmost reporter Nancy Klingener. She shares her reporting, the latest news out of the Keys and much more. Head here to sign up.

Copyright 2022 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM.

Nancy Klingener covers the Florida Keys for WLRN. Since moving to South Florida in 1989, she has worked for the Miami Herald, Solares Hill newspaper and the Monroe County Public Library.
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