Buoys being placed on Breakers Reef in WPB

[Orlando Eric]

IF I am not mistaken and this is very likely as I am not knowledgable in marine law... It is a misdemeanor. Misdemeanor offense with several eceptions can not be cited unless a LEO sees it happen. This is a good reason to give local LEO's free boat passes to report such incidents...

*shamless plug for free boat trips.*

 

[Scott L]

The deeper (50') section of Breakers is the same reef that was wire-dragged by a tugboat towing a barge back in November 2008. They never located the tugboat that was responsible.
Divers reportedly righting coral at Breakers reef off Palm Beach

I do not know if its true but I heard the authorities went so far as to view satellite images to ascertain the offending vessels. Nothing came of it so the thinking is it occured at night. Obviously I am connected to the highest levels of goverment.

 

[sportxlh]

I did my final dive of the AOW class on Friday at the Breakers (night dive). The DM's float line got caught in some fishing line from an anchored boat. The class instructor cut the fishing line to free the DM's float line. Hopefully they don't put any mooring balls on the deeper reef since entanglement with the mooring line is possible (as pointed out above) but entanglement with the increased number of fishing lines might also be possible

 

[soamelt]

I doubt you will see a big increase in fishing. The problem is all the fishing that's there now. Boats just drop anchor right on top of the reef. The balls are there simply to give the boaters an option to not destroy the reef.

Also, you're just a likely to tangled on the anchor line as you are the balls. I'd rather my flag tangled on the balls that some may actually use than the alternative.