Local nonprofit warns of rising derelict-boat problem on Clear Lake, urges state action and grants

A local nonprofit told the Seabrook City Council on March 18 that derelict and abandoned boats on Clear Lake have increased sharply in recent years and that removing them requires significant money and interagency coordination.

Tom Taylor, an officer and legal counsel for Citizens Against Derelict Dumping (CAD), said CAD has documented roughly 18 boats currently anchored or moored in the Clear Lake area — up from one permanent vessel three years ago — and that five of those are sunken. "These boats out there ... represent a safety hazard, they represent a navigational hazard and they represent a probable environmental hazard, if they sink," Taylor said.

Taylor told council the group has applied for an $85,000 federal grant, administered through BoatUS, to help pay for removals. He said average removal and disposal costs range from about $15,000 to $20,000 per boat and grow if recovery requires raising a sunken vessel. Taylor described the removal sequence: identification (often by the General Land Office), owner-notice attempts, tagging for disposal, contracting licensed companies (TowBoatUS, etc.) with environmental insurance, ashore stripping of fuels and electronics, and final disposal.

Why it matters: abandoned and improperly lit vessels pose public-safety and navigational risks in a busy recreational waterway and can cause pollution if engines, fuel or batteries are released. CAD and some municipalities have limited budgets and enforcement gaps are split across multiple state and federal agencies.

Enforcement, laws and funding

Taylor noted existing state rules but said enforcement is difficult when ownership records are missing or sellers fail to notify Texas Parks and Wildlife at transfer. He also said several bills and proposals are under discussion that could alter enforcement or funding: Representative Dennis Paul introduced a bill to direct a portion of boat registration fees toward the General Land Office for removals; CAD leadership said they had discussed requiring proof of insurance and tougher penalties on owners.

Questions from council and staff

Council members and staff asked how removals proceed and which agencies can issue citations. Seabrook’s police chief answered that the city presently has two certified marine-safety enforcement officers and two patrol-boat captains (the same two officers) and that training for additional officers is underway; the chief said the goal was to have two or three more marine safety officers by summer and to involve younger officers in training.

CAD representatives and council members said existing laws already prohibit abandoning boats and require registration and safe lighting for anchored vessels, but that fines are low (Class C misdemeanor) and enforcement resources are scarce. CAD asked council to support state-level reforms and to consider local collaborations among nearby cities on enforcement and shared response.

What CAD reported (as stated at the meeting)

- Estimated number of registered boats in the Clear Lake area: about 7,000. - Reported derelict/abandoned vessels currently observed on Clear Lake: 18 (an increase of 17 from three years ago); previously only one permanent anchored/moored vessel was present three years prior. - Of the 18: five are sunken; 13 are afloat; of those afloat, six are believed to be liveaboards and five were observed to be improperly lighted at night. - CAD’s estimated removal cost per boat: $15,000–$20,000 on average; higher for sunken vessels.

CAD asked council and other area municipalities to coordinate regionally and to back state-level steps such as redirecting a portion of registration fees to the GLO and requiring insurance or stronger penalties for owners who abandon vessels.

Speakers and attributions in this article are drawn from the March 18 council meeting transcript.