National Safe Boating Week kicks off Saturday, just days after Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava\u2019s Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force met for the final time to help pave the way for a comprehensive action plan.<\/p>\n
Miami-Dade County\u2019s Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) hosted the final meeting<\/a> this past week, when task force members presented and voted on recommendations to promote safety, accountability and stewardship of Biscayne Bay.<\/p>\n The final report outlines a strategy built on the following four pillars:<\/p>\n \u2022 Boater education: public awareness campaign and safety education requirements for boat operators and marina slip holders.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Law enforcement: inter-agency coordination and standardized processes.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Legislation: expansion of local and state safety requirements to strengthen safety standards and address enforcement gaps.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Waterway management: vessel-congestion studies for high-risk zones, integrating illegal-charter prevention protocols, and modernization of navigational markers, signage, and mooring infrastructure to improve clarity and safety.<\/p>\n \u201cThis marks the close of the Task Force\u2019s charge and the beginning of the work ahead,” Mayor Levine Cava said. \u201cTogether, we honor the memories of those we have lost by creating a safer, more responsible, and more compassionate boating community for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n The Boater Safety Task Force<\/a> was created in April 2025, and was designed to examine the full landscape of boating safety by reviewing relevant data, evaluating existing practices and developing recommendations to reduce injuries and fatalities across Miami-Dade County\u2019s waterways. The group, which will include a representative from the Key Biscayne Community Foundation.<\/p>\n “This is not just a document, it is a road map,\u201d said Andres Fernandez, from The Lucy Fernandez Foundation<\/a>. \u201dGrounded in education, law enforcement, legislation, and waterway management, it offers practical, achievable recommendations we believe can make a real difference in preventing future tragedies.<\/p>\n