New Jersey State Police joins BoatUS Foundation's national database of abandoned boats
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Why this matters: our read
A database records where a problem boat is. It does not pay to move it. That is a step toward better evidence for enforcement, and the release itself is silent on who covers removal in New Jersey.
The BoatUS Foundation, a nonprofit, announced on September 30 that the New Jersey State Police is the latest partner in its work to track and remove abandoned and derelict vessels. The Foundation says the state police Marine Services Bureau uses its database as an investigative tool: entries can help investigators identify vessels, record reported incidents and support enforcement and removal when appropriate.
The Foundation launched the national database in November 2025 with the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Members of the public can file a report with an optional photo, the time of the sighting and a map pin.
On cost, the Foundation says removing one abandoned vessel can average $24,000 or more, depending on size, location and condition. That is a national figure; neither release breaks it out by region or water type. It says its removal grants, backed by a 2023 NOAA Marine Debris Program award, are funding targeted removals in eight states and territories.
Alanna Keating, the Foundation’s director of outreach, said at the database’s launch that understanding the full scope of the problem would let communities across the country direct resources toward removing vessels from their coastlines.
The September release does not say how many New Jersey reports exist or what removal funding the state has.
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- BoatUS Foundation
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- New Jersey Partners with BoatUS Foundation to Track Abandoned Boats
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- BoatUS Foundation Launches First National Database to Track Abandoned Boats and Derelict Vessels Across US
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