Thanks to the efforts of Citrus County Aquatics Director Mark Edwards, and staff, an identified derelict vessel was removed on Feb. 14 from the Homosassa River.
In December 2018, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) notified Citrus County of the potential derelict vessel and later the same month, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved staff to apply for grant funding from the FWC to remove the derelict vessel.
Abandoned and derelict vessels are a problem for many waterways in Florida. Sunken, stranded, and decrepit vessels can be an eyesore and become hazards to navigation.
At the same time, these vessels can pose significant threats to natural resources.