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Charter operator urges Destin to reclassify bareboat charters and provide compliance path
Summary
A local charter operator said Destin’s ordinance treats bareboat charters as liveries and caps permits, blocking captained bareboat operations that meet federal and state definitions; the council heard concerns and did not take immediate action on the ordinance itself.
A Destin charter operator told the City Council that the city’s livery permit rules effectively block captained ‘‘bareboat’’ charter operations and asked the council to align local rules with state and federal definitions and provide a clear path for compliance.
Madison Wallace, who identified herself as a U.S. Coast Guard‑licensed captain and local charter operator, said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) defines a livery as a boat rented without a required licensed captain, while the U.S. Coast Guard recognizes properly executed bareboat charters as lawful and distinct from liveries. Wallace said Destin appears to be the only Florida city that classifies bareboat charters as liveries and caps the number of livery permits, which, she argued, prevents responsibly structured businesses that require licensed captains from operating.
"The ordinance does not reduce the number of boats on the water. It simply determines which businesses are allowed to operate them," Wallace said, arguing that the rule restricts economic opportunity for local captains and crews and may not improve safety outcomes. She said her company has completed more than 3,000 trips to Crab Island with licensed captains without a single safety incident.
Council members did not adopt any change to marine permitting at the meeting; staff and council members acknowledged enforcement of unauthorized commercial operations is a concern raised in public comment and said they would consider the substance of the complaint as part of ongoing harbor management discussions.
The public comment highlighted a tension between local permitting limits and state/federal vessel classifications; the council signaled interest in receiving clarifying legal and operational guidance before making regulatory changes.
