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Officials seek estimates to mark submerged rock jetties after multiple boating accidents
Summary
The public health and safety committee heard from Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sgt. David Budro about at least six recordable boat accidents over two years caused by rock jetties that have become submerged; the council asked staff to get cost estimates for installing marine-warning signs and to coordinate with DNR and the Coast Guard.
Sergeant David Budro of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries told the Iberia Parish Council that a two-mile line of rock jetties near Avery Island and the Vermilion Bay has produced repeated incidents as erosion has submerged previously near-shore rock structures. "We've had at least six to about six or seven recordable accidents," Budro said, adding that many minor impacts go unreported and that there have been no fatalities so far.
Budro described a recent night-time grounding in which a vessel struck submerged rocks, lost its motor and later sank; the owner could not afford recovery. He urged the parish to mark the rocks, saying permit language from the Department of Natural Resources places the authority on the parish to mark them. He outlined sign standards and recommended diamond-shaped reflective markers sized at 36 inches for marine visibility.
Councilman Cayman Cropel asked for an estimate to post signs and, if needed, to install posts driven from a barge or platform. Members debated jurisdictional and cost issues and discussed involving the Coast Guard, DNR and neighboring parishes; several council members suggested temporary measures (buoys or lit markers) while longer-term work is coordinated.
Why it matters: Submerged hazards present immediate danger to recreational and commercial boaters; marking the rocks is a public-safety action that will require interagency coordination and likely vessel or barge work to set posts in a marine environment.
The committee voted to request cost estimates and agency coordination; staff indicated the parish lacks the specialized marine equipment and will need to coordinate with state and federal partners to implement permanent signage.
