A new Florida law signed this week by Gov. Ron DeSantis limits how long people can anchor their boats overnight in the state’s largest counties – a change that is already reshaping life on the water in places like Miami Beach.
30-day limit targets long-term anchoring
Under the law, boaters in counties with populations of 1.5 million or more – including Miami-Dade and Broward – can no longer anchor overnight in the same location for more than 30 days within a six-month period.
Miami Beach City Commissioner David Suarez, who said he helped craft the bill, argued the law gives local governments more control over their waterways and addresses the growing problem of abandoned or derelict vessels.
“When you’re a boater, boaters move. They traverse. These are squatters,” Suarez said. “Many of their boats do not function.”
He cited vessels left to deteriorate in Biscayne Bay, some of which have sunk or become filled with trash. Suarez said marine patrols are already identifying boats affected by the new rule.
Boat residents say law pushes them out
Some boaters say the law unfairly targets people who live aboard their vessels. Alexi Afonin, who lived on a boat in Miami Beach for nearly a decade, said the growing restrictions forced him to relocate to Marathon.
“I felt like I became a rat. I had to sneak on shore,” Afonin said, adding that the new law confirms his decision to leave. “You feel like you get your life going there and then you feel like you got evicted.”
CBS News Miami also spoke to another liveaboard resident who declined to be identified. He said the restrictions are pushing him to leave the country altogether.
“I’m going to the Caribbean yes,” he said.
Next steps include local ordinance updates
Suarez said the next phase involves updating Miami Beach’s local ordinances to reflect the state law, which will help marine patrol enforce the rules and define penalties for violations.
He also noted there are mooring fields available for those living aboard boats, offering alternatives for long-term anchoring.
