Under the auspices of Florida's Anchoring and Mooring Pilot Program, the City of St. Augustine has drafted anchoring ordinances that would restrict this practice everywhere within city limits outside of the existing mooring fields. Proposed rules include a limit at anchor of 10 consecutive days in any 30 day period before a boater would be required to move out of the city or rent a mooring ball at $20 per night. Other rules include various distance offsets from the moorings and other marine structures. A boater would be allowed to move out of the city for one night and then move back in to anchor for another 10 days. Violation of these new rules could result in fines of up to $100 for a first offense and up to $500 for a third offense.
These rules must be subject to public review and comment prior to being approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), which is requesting boaters to submit online comments prior to November 6.
Some cruisers are opposed to these new regulations and have formed various groups to fight against new anchoring restrictions in Florida. The blog Florida Anchoring Issues has a section proposing a boycott of St. Augustine in opposition of the anchoring restrictions. Mariners BARR is another group with an emphasis on opposing new regulations in the Florida Keys where Monroe County is proposing regulations in some anchorages located 40 miles or more from existing mooring fields.
