OAKLAND — It should be smoother sailing on the Oakland Estuary after police announced Thursday that eight fully and partially sunken boats had been removed since Wednesday, bringing the total for the year to about 60 for such vessels and others that had been abandoned.
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Additional removal operations are planned in the next two weeks, police said.
The vessels — both sailboats and motorized craft — removed so far have been eyesores for some time, with some the homes of unhoused people and others unused. Some occupants have been linked to burglaries and one vessel housed a methamphetamine lab while assault weapons were seized in another, authorities said.
No arrests were made or citations issued Thursday.
According to police, abandoned and derelict vessels pose serious risks to the community, including navigational hazards for boaters and environmental hazards as well, especially to marine life. Many of the vessels were older, severely deteriorated, and no longer salvageable.
Before the vessels were removed, city officials and police took various steps to contact owners.
On Thursday, vessels removed were towed to a barge where they were lifted by a crane and then dismantled.
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The operations have been conducted by the Oakland police Marine Unit and Dive Team working with Lind Marine of Vallejo, the Coast Guard, San Francisco police, Marin County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Oakland Chief of Police James Beere said in a release Thursday that “this is what partnership looks like. This effort is more than removing abandoned vessels. It’s about protecting our waterways and making sure Oaklanders and visitors can safely access their waterfront. I’m proud of the work of our Marine Unit and grateful to the partners and community members who are helping us reclaim these public spaces.”
Mayor Barbara Lee said in the release: “I want Oakland to be the safest, cleanest, and greenest city in the country, and cleaning our estuary is a vital step forward.”
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The operations have been funded by $3 million in state and federal grants.
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