Whose Boat is this Boat? Managing Abandoned and Derelict Vessels in Oriental, North Carolina

Abstract

The Town of Oriental is a waterfront boating community in Pamlico County, North Carolina that struggles with managing abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) absent a state or local mechanism for removal and enforcement. While these forgotten and broken down boats pose a number of problems for coastal communities, the environment, and the economy, North Carolina law has not historically provided local governments with clear legal authority for ADV abatement and removal. Given the Town’s struggle to implement an ADV removal mechanism, this project instead evaluated two management options aimed at preventing ADVs within the Town: (1) increasing a public dock space, and (2) implementing a vessel turn-in program.