Boats moored along the ICW in Lantana, FL. (Photo: Boca Daily News)
A bill proposed by State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R-Boca Raton) would prevent cities, counties or special districts within the state from establishing otherwise-unregulated vessel mooring fields, and would likewise require enforcement of boating safety and water quality measures in areas where people go boating and swimming.
The bill, introduced last month for the 2026 session, would prohibit local governments and special districts from applying for permits to establish or maintain public mooring fields, “preserving public access and orderly use of Florida’s waterways.” Mooring fields would be required to be managed with enforcement of marine patrols by state and local officials, and require permits and insurance. The state established several mooring fields, including the newest one in Hollywood that opened in October. The bill is aimed at preventing scenarios where the boating public as a whole would be locked out of anchoring in a given area, and promoting the use of mooring buoys rather than traditional anchoring which could damage the seabed…