T&T: Boats Too Costly to Keep Are Littering Coastlines

[Georgs Kolesnikovs]

As reported in New York Times:

>MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - Boat owners are abandoning ship.
>
>They often sandpaper over the names and file off the registry 
>numbers, doing their best to render the boats, and themselves, 
>untraceable. Then they casually ditch the vessels in the middle of 
>busy harbors, beach them at low tide on the banks of creeks or 
>occasionally scuttle them outright.
>
>The bad economy is creating a flotilla of forsaken boats. While 
>there is no national census of abandoned boats, officials in coastal 
>states are worried the problem will only grow worse as unemployment 
>and financial stress continue to rise. Several states are even 
>drafting laws against derelicts and say they are aggressively 
>starting to pursue delinquent owners.
>
>"Our waters have become dumping grounds," said Maj. Paul R. 
>Ouellette of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 
>"It's got to the point where something has to be done."

For the full story, go to

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/01boats.html?_r=1