BoatUS Foundation invites public to share ideas for new database to report abandoned and derelict vessels

National database aims to pinpoint locations of ADVs, track removal, provide clearer picture of the national problem

In an effort to clean up the nation’s coasts and Great Lakes and rid our shores of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs), the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is creating a new national ADV database in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to track these environmental and navigation hazards to help facilitate removal.

The Foundation is asking the public to comment on a short feedback form to help determine and prioritize the type of information that needs to be included in the ADV database. The Foundation also hopes to learn how this data is currently collected and seek out new ideas for how it may be better utilized, including how to promote the database and make it more widely accessible to communities, organizations and governments that may benefit from the information.

Agency staffers who currently report or collect ADV data or those in government, the marine industry, law enforcement, organizations such as environmental or boating groups as well as anyone who wants to improve the environment by removing unsightly vessels are urged to share feedback by December 17, 2024. All feedback is anonymous.

When it launches, the ADV database is expected to not only pinpoint the locations of ADVs but also improve tracking their removal while providing a clearer picture of the extent of the problem across the country. The feedback form is one of several methods that will be used to gather input on the database.

“We’re in the very early stages of planning the database and really want to know what works to help us prioritize and build a better system for reporting and removing harmful pollution and safety hazards caused by ADVs,” said BoatUS Foundation program administrator Michael Moore. “Creating this one-of-a-kind national ADV database will be a major step forward in our efforts to make a positive impact on our waterways for generations to come.”

The ADV database is part of a four-year, $10 million grant from the NOAA Marine Debris Program with funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The grant funding is also fueling a national competitive grant program for the removal of ADVs as well as hosting a national conference about boating-related debris disposal.