Sand bars, spoil islands now closed, but boaters can still enjoy the water with limits

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, state-owned uplands, such as beaches, islands, sandbars and emergent shoals within aquatic preserves are closed.

BIG CHANGES FOR BOATERS KICKEDIN TODAY AND WILL REMAIN INPLACE FOR THE FORESEEABLEFUTURE.

SANDBARS AND MAN-MADEISLANDS ARE NOW CLOSED TBOATERS IN MARTIN COUNTY.

BUTTHERE ARE STILL WAYS TO ENJOYTHE WATER.

MEGHAN MCROBERTSRODE WITH THE MARTIN COUNTYSHERIFFTO BREAK DOWN THE NEW RULES.<< HERE IN MARTIN COUNTY&PUBLIC BOAT RAMPS ARE CLOSED&BUT IF YOU CAN STILL GET ONTHE WATER& YOU WILL BE LIMITEDTO WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY DRANCHOR& BUT FISHING, CRUISING,AND BOATING IN GENERAL ISSTILL ALLOWED&SO LONG ASYOUPKG“YEA ALL THE SANDBAR AREASARE CLOSED.

PERPETUALLY, ORDEROF THE GOVERNOR.

" MARTINCOUNTY DEPUTIES FRIDAY-TEACHING BOATERS THE LATEST OFTHE EVER- CHANGINGRESTRICTIONS.

WE HEARD THEWERE GOING TO LET SOME PEOPLEIN?

NO, THEY;STATE-WIDE ORDER THAT KICKEDOFF MIDNIGHT FRIDAY MORNING,BOATERS CAN NO LONGER DROPANCHOR, LAUNCH OR LAND ANYBOATS ON AREAS THAT ARE PARTOF THE STATEPRESERVE.“WHICH AGAIN,INCLUDES THE ST.

LUCIE RIVER,FROM COUNTY LINE TO COUNTYLINE, WITH VERY FEWEXCEPTIONS” MARTIN COUNTY LT.RYAN GRIMSDALE AMONG THOSETRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD...TO BOATERS UNKNOWINGLY INVIOLATION.“YOU CAN FISH YOUCAN BE UNDERWAY.

WECLOSING THE WATERWAYS.

IFYOUTO GO” SAYING BOATING ISSTILL ALLOWED.“BOATINGBEEN MADE ILLEGAL.

WECERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO PUSHTHAT MESSAGE” LAW ENFORCEMENTJUST ASKING BOATERS TO PULL UPTHEIR ANCHORS.“ANYWHERE INTHE AQUATIC PRESERVE WHICH ISREALLY ALL OF THE ST.

LUCIEINLET, ALL OF THE RIVER, ALLTHE ESTUARY, ESSENTIALLY” LAWENFORCEMENT ALSO STILL ASKINGBOATERS TO KEEP A 50-FOOTDISTANCE BETWEEN BOATS... ANHAVE NO MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE ONBOARD.“THEREFIELDS, THERESOUTH END AND ONE ON THE NOREND” AND LIVE-ABOARDS- ASKEDTO MOVE TO A MOORING FIELD.BOATERS FRIDAY- GLAD FOR THEEDUCATION.

“BY ORDER OF THEGOVERNOR UNTIL THIS WHOLENIGHTMAREENFORCEMENT HOPEFUL FULLCOMPLIANCE& WILL MEAN AQUICKER RETURN TO NORMAL.“GETIT OVER BY SANDBAR SEASON SOYOU CAN ENJOY IT AGAIN” TAG:FOR A FULL MAP OF THE AREASSTATEWIDE THAT ARE CONSIDEREDA PART OF THE AQUATIC PRESERVEAND TEMPROARILY OFF LIMITS TOANCHORING AND MOORING& VISOUR WEBSITE WPTV.COM.