9 Mile Discharge for Gulf of Mexico

[Scout 30]

A list of areas in Florida where marine sanitation laws are actually enforced would be interesting.

[Comix Bay]

I can see FL point of view, why P & P in your own playing sand box!! But keep it clear as to where the limits are.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

This is definitely true. The gambling boats on the west coast also have to be more than 9 miles out before they start stealing people's money. However, I've been boarded by the FWC several times & all they've ever checked was safety equipment unless you're fishing then they check out your fish & fishing licenses. That being said there are places like the Keys where enforcement of marine sanitation systems is stringent.

I thought the gambling boats had to be more than 12 miles out so they were technically not in FL waters?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

A list of areas in Florida where marine sanitation laws are actually enforced would be interesting.

FL has lots of marine related enforcement resources + a strong USCG precence. I know for sure they make an effort to enforce their NDZs (have been checked in a couple).

If I had intent to violate any marine regulations, FL would not be my choice of venue.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I thought the gambling boats had to be 12 miles out so they were technically not in FL waters?

I liked the ones on the Mississippi where they dug a channel, floated the boat in and then filed in the channel behind it so it was still a boat and afloat.

Even funnier was they pulled up the ramp and closed the doors for a 1/2 hour out of each hour to simulate taking the boat out.

Probably more closely relates to the Michigan law that a woman is legally not allowed to cut her hair without her husband or fathers approval. It's still on the books but no one enforces it so it never has made it to court to be overturned.

[Cheechako]

Yeah, they dont want your crap on top of that 6 inches of BP oil sitting on the bottom....

[belizesailor]

Re 9 Mile dicharge limit.

Learn something every day, I lived in FL (Bradenton...on the Gulf side) and worked as a charter captain there...never heard of this 9 mile statue.

Obvious its not strongly enforced...rare to see enforcement resources that far off, but they are very common closer in in FL waters.

When running charters I was normally close in and using holding tanks anyway.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I thought the gambling boats had to be more than 12 miles out so they were technically not in FL waters?

The state lines are 3 miles out on the east side & 9 miles out on the west.

I think the smart move is to comply with the law whether it is enforced or not. That way you don't have to worry about it.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

A list of areas in Florida where marine sanitation laws are actually enforced would be interesting.

The sanitation laws are not enforced where the enforcement boats aren't. If you don't see one, the laws are not being enforced.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I think the smart move is to comply with the law whether it is enforced or not. That way you don't have to worry about it.

Well that's the issue. Pretty much the only working way for me to comply as a full time cruiser is to install an Electro Scan. Otherwise I'm running in/out to a pump out station all the time and that is controlling my cruising.

[CaptRory]

Coastal boundaries are about territorial sovereignty and not necessarily discharge rules. It just means they get to make the rules out that far, not what the rules are.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

The state lines are 3 miles out on the east side & 9 miles out on the west.

I think the smart move is to comply with the law whether it is enforced or not. That way you don't have to worry about it.

Turns out the question of where such boundaries end gets more complicated than you might expect. And vary based upon context. In the case of FL the answer to this question is more complex than most and in fact variable on the Atlantic side because under FL law the Gulf Stream is the boundary for certain matters.

Detailed legal discussion here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour..._uXaxkzwmoaAkA

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Well that's the issue. Pretty much the only working way for me to comply as a full time cruiser is to install an Electro Scan. Otherwise I'm running in/out to a pump out station all the time and that is controlling my cruising.

I contacted the State a few years ago about using a Lectrasan & was told that using one did not make it legal to dump overboard in State waters. That's actually one of the reasons we went with a composting head. We don't frequent marinas & don't usually go 9 miles out and I just got tired of breaking the law no matter how stupid it is. Kind of sad because I loved my solid bronze Wilcox Crittenden head although it was a lot more work to maintain. Just another compromise on a boat.

[zboss]

Well first off, Florida patrol boats cannot board you anymore without probable cause if you have a state inspection sticker. So although there are no hard and fast rules on who gets a sticker once you have one they must possess probable cause, which I would guess also means they are going to be much more conservative on who they pull over.

https://www.waterwayguide.com/latest...ed-by-governor

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by zboss

Well first off, Florida patrol boats cannot board you anymore without probable cause if you have a state inspection sticker. So although there are no hard and fast rules on who gets a sticker once you have one they must possess probable cause, which I would guess also means they are going to be much more conservative on who they pull over.

https://www.waterwayguide.com/latest...ed-by-governor

well I bet that's just a "looks good on paper" thing

except for a NDZ an electro scan is OK to use even per the florida rules