Keeping abandoned vessels out of local waters requires a team effort

STATEWIDE — We have allowed many forms of junk to enter into our oceans, rivers, lakes and other waterways: cigarettes, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and boats, to name a few. Derelict recreational boats do not have to be a problem in local and regional waters. There are plenty of programs available for recreational boaters, allowing them to take proactive measures to dispose of unwanted vessels at limited to no cost to their bank accounts or the environment. Abandoning a vessel in the water could result in fines, property liens and jail time, according to Cal Boating staff. A few options are available to boaters who are unable to keep up with their vessels (or if calamity causes the boat to become damaged). Boaters here in California are mostly aware of the state-sponsored Abandoned Watercraft Abatement Fund (AWAF) and Vessel Turn-In Program (VTIP), two initiatives aiming to keep recreational vessels from being left for dead out of our oceans, lakes and rivers. City and county agencies up and down the California coast have applied for and been awarded funding to remove abandoned recreational vessels from harbors and rivers. Nearly 2,000 recreational vessels were removed from state waterways through AWAF, which has been in effect since 1999....