Cleaning up Richardson Bay One Vessel at a Time

Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency removed abandoned and derelict vessels from Richardson Bay, located within the San Francisco Bay area.

Type of Project: Removal 

Region: California

Project Dates: August 2019 - August 2020

Who was involved?

With the support of the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency removed abandoned and derelict vessels from Richardson Bay, located within the San Francisco Bay, to preserve and protect local natural resources such as eelgrass beds, herring, and migratory birds.

What was the project and why was it important?

Abandoned and derelict vessels in San Francisco Bay can leak contaminants, discharge debris, or release hazardous materials. These vessels can also break free from their anchors and mooring and drift to other parts of the Bay or shore, damaging resources and becoming a navigational hazard. 

This project focused on the removal of abandoned or derelict vessels between 18 and 50 feet in length. These vessels, both gas powered and sailboat, were made of a variety of materials, such as fiberglass, steel, wood, and/or a composite material made up of mortar and light wire steel mesh.

What were the project results?

A total of 62 abandoned and derelict vessels were removed from Richardson Bay, exceeding the project goal of 25 vessels. Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency disposed of more than 800,000 pounds of solid materials and 820 gallons of fuel. In addition to efforts to notify vessel owners and remove vessels, volunteers conducted outreach to advise boat owners on how to prevent vessels from becoming marine debris, and in some cases, assisted the Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency Harbormaster with education and abatement. 

For more information about this project, visit the Marine Debris Program Clearinghouse.