DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

111 buoys tagged, more may be tagged next year

posted 09/10/04
The state Department of Natural Resources is determining the number, location and condition of buoys in several high use bays in San Juan County. Last month, 111 buoys were tagged in Barlow Bay, MacKaye Harbor, Jones Bay, West Sound and Fishermans Bay. The purpose is to authorize buoys wanted by owners. Owners who refuse or don't respond to DNR will have their buoys removed.

David Roberts of DNR provided the following information:

Background: State law requires the DNR to authorize buoys on state owned aquatic lands. The law allows waterfront owners a free buoy if the property is for residential purposes. Buoys must have a license if the boat is used for recreational purposes and is less than 60 feet long. A lease is required if the boat is 60 feet or more in length, or is used for commercial purposes.

Many buoys in San Juan County are not properly authorized. State resources to authorize buoys have been limited and many buoy owners did not understand the requirements. Due to the increased number of complaints from the public about the number of buoys in several bays in the county, DNR decided that the time was right to work with community on buoy management.

Work to date: DNR staff has focused on five locations in the San Juans for buoy surveys and tagging. The locations of all buoys in the five bays have been noted using GPS. Buoys without boats were tagged with a notification to contact DNR within 30 days. Where boats were tied to buoys, the name or registration number of the vessel was noted. Each buoy site was evaluated for distance to adjacent buoys, proximity to eel grass beds and blockage of navigational channels. The total number of buoys in each bay was noted and the number and location of future buoys in each bay was discussed.

Response to date: So far DNR has received calls from about 30 buoy owners and e-mails from 5-7 more. More calls come in each day. The people calling have been cooperative and glad to know what they need to do.

NEXT STEPS:

Notification of boat owners - DNR will be sending letters to the owners of each of the boats tied to buoys requesting that they register their buoys as well. This will occur shortly as DNR determines the owners' names and addresses. This information will come from the registration numbers or name of the vessels.

Authorization of buoys - When buoy owners contact DNR, staff will determine if they are eligible for a free recreational buoy. If they are, they will be sent a registration card to fill out and return to DNR. If the owner needs a license or a lease, DNR will work with them to get that accomplished. The goal is to create maps that show locations of authorized and unauthorized buoys for each congested bay.

Removal - Next spring DNR plans to tag the buoys that do not have authorization. The notice will state that the buoy will be removed in 30 days. If nothing is heard from the owner, the DNR dive team will remove and dispose of the buoy.

Other bays - DNR will evaluate the success of this process over the coming winter and make plans for additional survey and tagging in the spring (2005). Several bays, including Friday Harbor have areas where densities of buoys are limiting navigation and threatening water quality. These will be the priority areas for future surveys.

Work with local government - DNR recognizes the placement of buoys is a form of land use decision. They will be working with the San Juan County Planning Department to determine a long-term plan for buoy management for all of the congested bays of the county.

Work with installers - DNR staff is working with local buoy installers to make sure they understand the authorization requirements and have information to pass on to buoy owners.

Derelict vessels and structures - DNR is using this approach to assess the number and condition of vessels and floats in each of the bays surveyed. They are working with San Juan County and the San Juan Marine Resources Committee to develop a county wide solution to address derelict vessel concerns.

Mooring buoys tagged in Fisherman Bay

posted 09/01/04
As promised in June, the state Department of Resources (DNR) has conducted aerial surveys to determine the location of illegal mooring buoys. Last week, dozens of buoys at Fisherman Bay were tagged. The owners must contact DNR within 30 days.

Buoys, docks not allowed on oyster tracts

posted 07/08/04
How many of the 13,826 acres of oyster tracts in San Juan County are being used improperly? Under state law, the only activity allowed on those aquatic lands is commercial production of oysters. Placing docks or buoys over the oyster tracts is prohibited. The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will review the ways the oyster tracts are being used.

The aquatic lands were sold under the Bush Act and were to be used solely for commercial shellfish production. Ownership was to revert to the state once production ceased. Most of the lands were sold prior to 1940.

David Roberts of DNR told the Board of County Commissioners in June, "In terms of what we work with, the is the most complicated." No timeline was given for the review process.

Crackdown on mooring buoys

posted 06/30/04
Concerned about navigational problems created by a proliferation of mooring buoys, the state Department of Natural Resources will conduct an aerial survey and GIS mapping of the buoys in Fisherman Bay, Deer Harbor, Friday Harbor, West Sound, Barlow Bay and Fish Creek this summer. The maps will be used determine the location of unauthorized buoys.

Owners of waterfront property can have one or if necessary two mooring buoys. Other people must obtain a license from the DNR before they can have a mooring buoy. DNR has 20 applications for mooring buoys around Lopez Island. Of the 20 requests, 18 are for Fisherman Bay.

Unauthorized buoys will be tagged. "We'll give people time to respond," said David Roberts, DNR region manager for the Orcas Straits region. Granting of requests will depend on "making sure we are not creating pressure on navigation or the environment," he said. Roberts met with San Juan County Commissioners June 29, 2004.

SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008

news @sanjuanislander.com

ABOUT US | ADVERTISING INFO | CONTACT INFORMATION |