32 abandoned vessels removed from coastal Alabama waters

Alliance partners cleared 32 abandoned and derelict vessels from Bon Secour Bay, South Mobile County and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta over the winter. The work removed nearly 175 tons of debris and is part of a Gulf Coast effort to reduce navigational hazards and protect coastal ecosystems.

Why it matters: - Abandoned and derelict vessels create navigational hazards for boaters and anglers in coastal Alabama. - The removals also reduce marine debris that can harm aquatic ecosystems. - The project addresses a safety issue as well as an environmental one.

What happened: - The Gulf of America Alliance, working with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Mississippi State University Coastal and Marine Extension, removed 32 abandoned and derelict vessels over the winter months. - The vessels came from Bon Secour Bay, South Mobile County and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. - The removal effort is part of a larger Gulf Coast project.

The details: - The latest work followed the removal of 10 abandoned and derelict vessels from Baldwin County and the Perdido River/Bay area in spring 2025. - The recent removals accounted for 198,600 pounds of material. - Nearly 175 tons of debris have now been removed from coastal Alabama waters. - The debris included sailboats, cabin cruisers and barges. - Gulf of America Alliance Executive Director Laura Bowie said the removals help coastal systems in multiple ways and improve safety for boaters. - Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship said he helped secure funding for the effort and said the work supports healthy aquatic ecosystems and lowers risks for boaters and anglers. - Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor said the Marine Patrol Division helped locate and identify the vessels and helped ensure safe, legal removal operations. - Contractors MD Thomas Construction, LLC, and Blue Diving & Salvage, LLC, removed and disposed of the vessels. - ALEA helped ensure the contractors complied with federal, regional and local laws. - Mississippi State University Coastal and Marine Extension served as on-site project manager. - The project is supported by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program.

Between the lines: - The work shows how state agencies, universities and contractors are sharing responsibility for a problem that is expensive and difficult to solve alone. - The scale of the debris removal suggests abandoned vessels remain a persistent issue across Alabama's coastal waters. - The focus on both safety and habitat protection gives the effort broader political and practical value than cleanup alone.

What's next: - The Gulf of America Alliance will continue working across the Gulf Coast on abandoned-vessel removal and other marine debris projects. - Partner agencies are likely to keep using this model of coordinated locating, removal and disposal for future sites. - Additional removals may follow as grant-supported cleanup efforts move to other priority waters.