Two pontoon boats moored to a pier at Haulover Inlet, Florida, Mar. 31, 2019. The Coast Guard boarded the two boats and terminated both voyages as illegal charters. (Coast Guard Photo)
MIAMI —The Coast Guard and Bal Harbour Police Department terminated the voyages of several pleasure crafts Sunday, three of which took place at Haulover Inlet.
A Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale law enforcement crew conducted joint boardings of three pleasure crafts with the Bal Harbour Police Department at Haulover Inlet where they discovered the following violations:
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 176.100A for not having a valid Certificate of Inspection.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 15.515B for not having a credentialed mariner in control while operating a small passenger vessel.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 16.201 for failure to have a drug and alcohol program.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 170.120 for failure to have a valid stability letter.
A Coast Guard Station Miami Beach 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boatcrew conducted a fourth boarding near the Miami River where they discovered the following violations:
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 176.100A for not having a valid Certificate of Inspection.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 16.201 for failure to have a drug and alcohol program.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 170.120 for failure to have a valid stability letter.
“People illegally chartering vessels and putting their passengers as well as other boaters in danger is something we take very seriously,” said Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Tilghman, prevention duty officer at Coast Guard 7th District. “We will continue to maintain a presence in the water and seek out maximum penalties for people who put others at risk through these illegal operations.”
Owners and operators of illegal charter vessels can face maximum civil penalties of over $58,000 for illegal passenger-for-hire operations. Some potential fines for illegally operating a charter vessel are:
- Up to $18,477 for failure of an inspected vessel to be under the control of an individual with the appropriate Coast Guard license.
- Up to $7,250 for failure of operators to be enrolled in a chemical testing program.
- Up to $4,685 for failure to provide a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection for vessels carrying more than six passengers.
- Up to $15,995 for failure to produce a valid Certificate of Documentation for vessels over 5 gross tons.
- Up to $11,712 for failure to have been issued a valid Stability Letter prior to placing vessel in service with more than six passengers.
