Correction: The original photo used with this story, which featured Department of Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officers aboard a vessel at Catalina Island, was not specifically boarded for an illegal charter violation or accusation. The photo, which is misleading, has been replaced here on the online version of the...
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I was there when they started this process two years ago, after being brought to the attention of the Port of San Diego while serving as Co-Chair, and then Chair of the San DIego Harbor Safety Committee. This issue has been front and center for about 4 years total. I know Carol Noska has been batteling illegal charters for longer than that. They cut into other legitimate charter business, do not pay Port Fees, and do not pay Landing Fees. They are unregulated and as such could be dangerous to those who pay to go out on the bay. The Port of San DIego, for whatever reason are dragging their feet and someone is going to get hurt by one of these uninspected vessels. USCG has a very well defined program on how to deal with them. San Diego Harbor PD was working on the problem and about the time I left the Harbor Safety Committee, two years ago, all they had to do was draft the ordinance, similar to one they used to have and put the permitting structure in place. Maybe 90 days of work. From this article, they have not moved any further forward than two years ago and seem to be just putting it off. The staff at the Unified Port District need to get off the ball and get moving on this before some visitor to our waterfront is injured or even worse. They owe it to the legitimate Charters who are paying the Port good money for the right to operate on San Diego Bay.