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Tarpon Boat Owner Hit With Fines

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By Vivienne Green | The Suncoast News

Published: October 13, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Fines are continuing to mount for the owner of two commercial fishing boats left abandoned on the Anclote River behind Pelican Point Seafood two years ago.

The vessels, between 40 and 50 feet, are owned by Joseph Renardo of Tarpon Springs.

In 2005, Renardo told the City's Code Enforcement Division the boats were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. He said he has not been successful seeking federal funds to remove them.

Code Enforcement later cited Renardo for violating the City's Public Anchorage Ordinance and gave him until May 18, 2006 to remove the boats or face a $50 per day fine. He did not remove them and now owes the city more than $24,860.

The boats apparently pose no immediate environmental hazard. Renardo has removed all gasoline and oil from the engines and the vessels are not blocking the navigable waterways, Tarpon Springs Police Captain Bob Kochen assured city staff in a memo Oct. 1.

According to Kochen, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, which is the state body in charge of Florida's waterways, is continuing its investigation and will have the boats removed from their current location soon.

"I do not have a time frame on when the boats will actually be removed because of the legal issues that the FWC must go through to complete this process," his report states.

Several calls made to Kochen and Capt. Humberro Navarro of the FWC were not returned.

The local police spokesperson, Sgt. Barbara Templeton said staff was prohibited from further comment on the subject.

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