This past Monday, you might have seen the Sausalito Police marine patrol boat Marine One on the water with the landing craft Allied Mariner, belonging to Parker Diving Service. The crews of both vessels were working together to remove unattended and unpermitted mooring balls from Richardson’s Bay.
RICHARDSON’S BAY has been an area of focus for the Sausalito Police Department during 2016. In January, the SPD presented the Sausalito City Council with a plan to increase public safety and quality of life on the Sausalito waterfront. In July, the SPD was awarded $129,800 in grant funding from the State Division of Boating and Waterways to abate marine debris and derelict vessels. This grant will also provide funding for the removal of unattended mooring balls. In September, the City Council accepted the grant and passed a resolution authorizing the use of grant funds to abate marine debris. The grant funding became effective on October 1, 2016, and will end on September 30, 2018.
During the same timeframe, the Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency (RBRA) also received grant funds from the State Division of Boating and Waterways. With the belief that teamwork makes for better results, the Marin County Sheriff’s marine patrol, the SPD marine patrol, and the RBRA harbor administrator agreed to work together on an enhanced enforcement plan to remove marine debris from Richardson’s Bay. This law enforcement working group has already started to remove derelict vessels meeting the definition of marine debris, along with unattended mooring balls. The enhanced enforcement efforts are planned from now until the end of June 2017. The enforcement team is committed to making a noticeable difference on Richardson’s Bay waters.
Questions regarding the clean-up effort may be directed to Lieutenant Bill Fraass of the Sausalito Police Department, bfraass@ci.sausalito.ca.us or 415-289-4170.