CapMel.com - Access and Abandonment

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Access and Abandonment
By JIM SHEPHERD, The Fishing Wire

Twenty-three percent of anglers report that one of their fishing spots has been closed to angling in the past three years, according to a January 2009 survey by Southwick Associates. This compares to 25% who reported loss of a fishing location in a similar survey a year earlier, in January 2008. The access problem is most acute for freshwater anglers. Of those reporting a loss of access, 74% said that they lost a fishing location on fresh water; just 24% reported the loss of a saltwater location.

Reported access loss results for 2008 were 77% fresh water and 17% salt water.

In response to the loss of access, a majority of the anglers reporting a loss (56% in the 2009 survey; 54% in 2008) continue to fish as frequently as they did before the loss occurred, presumably at other spots that remain open to them. In 2009, only about 37% reported fishing less frequently as a result, a figure virtually unchanged from the year before.

Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com helps the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries officials, and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends.

A problem for agencies, anglers and other boaters is the growing number of boats abandoned by cash-strapped owners. These aren't your average "fixer-uppers". Photo courtesy Post, Buckley, Schuh & Jernigan and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Meanwhile, it seems a growing national problem isn't access for boats, it's abandonment of them. Across the country, enforcement officials say they're encountering dozens of abandoned or derelict vessels. They're attributing the problem to the increasingly difficult economic conditions.

Faced with slip rentals, maintenance and repairs costs and the softest resale market in decades, some cash-strapped owners are choosing to scuttle, abandon or simply cast their boats adrift.
And those unwanted hulls are creating increasingly larger - and more expensive problems for officials to address. The costs associated with removing derelicts are not insignificant, and there are the legal aspects of the fact that while it might not be wanted, it is still someone's property.

As one official told us, it takes a "small fortune for a marine contractor to get a boat out" as it may require cranes or heavy equipment mounted on barges to remove what are ruined hulls.

So what about claiming one for yourself? Probably not a good idea. After all, vessels aren't declared derelict until they've been in place for years. Damaged keels, cracked hulls, ruined fittings, broken masts and ruined motors don't make for a simple home reclamation project. And don't forget that "small fortune" required for a marine contractor to raise, right or remove your "dream vessel" - and there's no guarantee you'll wind up with anything more than a big bill.

I've been kicking around the idea of shared ownership for cash-strapped boaters. People with cash and no desire to take the initial hit of buying a boat could be put in contact with a boat owner who's unable to pay maintenance and upkeep on their vessel. To me, that looks like a possible arrangement that could benefit everyone. For the cost of maintenance and upkeep, a non-owner could get the benefits of a boat. A boat owner could keep their vessel seaworthy, and no one would face the hazards and hassles associated with abandoned boats.

I'd be curious to know what you think. Drop me a note at jim@theoutdoorwire.com and let's hear your ideas for how we might come up with a solution.

In the meantime, get out and fish- and take someone with you.

--Jim Shepherd