The non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has developed a database to identify the locations of abandoned and derelict vessels across the U.S., freely associated states and U.S. territories. Created in partnership with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, the database will also track the impact and removal of ADVs.
“When we finally understand the scope of the problem, communities all over the country will be better-able to remove abandoned and derelict vessels on their local coastlines,” BoatUS Foundation director of outreach Alanna Keating said in a statement. “With the information the database provides, they will be able to know exactly where they need to dedicate resources, whether that be towards removing vessels or preventing them from becoming abandoned in the first place. This database is just one part of our critical work that could help make ADVs a thing of the past.”
The database, regional removal grants and efforts to raise awareness about boating-related debris disposal — including the second annual “Turning the Tide” conference in New Orleans in December 2026 — are supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
