Today, NYC Parks Chief of Waterfront and Marine Operations Nate Grove and City Council Member Inna Vernikov teamed up to remove three derelict vessels from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Derelict, abandoned vessels and other marine debris are environmental hazards and create navigational and property damage risks, particularly when becoming dislodged during heavy weather events.
“New York City is a city of water, with a shoreline that exceeds the length of Boston, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego combined. Abandoned derelict vessels in our waterways and along our shorelines pose a serious risk to navigation and public safety, while also endangering our city’s sensitive marine ecology,” said Parks Chief Grove. “We are grateful to Councilmember Vernikov for supporting our efforts to maintain the safety of our waterways and protect our natural marine environment.”
“After years of being both an eyesore and a hazard I am proud to have worked with the Parks Department to remove the sunken vessels from Sheepshead Bay. Made possible through my allocation to the Greener NYC Initiative this project is long overdue. Thank you to everyone at Parks that made this possible and I look forward to seeing these unsightly boats taken away,” said Council Member Vernikov.
On site, the sunken sailboats were removed via a tow boat and inflatable lift bags, with an experienced dive team on site to assist. The removal of four derelict vessels (one will be removed at a later date) from Sheepshead Bay was made possible with a $55,000 allocation from Council Member Vernikov.
NYC Parks Waterfront and Marine Operations is responsible for the direct operation and maintenance of marinas located throughout the five boroughs. NYC Parks’ public marinas welcome thousands of members of the boating and non-boating communities alike each year.
In addition to providing seasonal and year-round vessel dockage, Parks marinas host visiting vessels from around the world. Parks Waterfront and Marine Operations is also involved in ensuring the safe navigation and environmental protection of the city’s waterways, having removed hundreds of derelict vessels and other marine debris from Parks’ shorelines citywide.
See what else our NYC Parks Department is up to, including an interactive Tree Map, an update on the 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy; breaking ground on the newest phase of development of Sunset Cove in Broad Channel; reinterring remains of early New Yorkers from Washington Square Park, and a reopening of Central Park’s Loeb Boathouse this summer + more. Read about the 79th Street Boat Basin Total Reconstruction.