Task force formed to address Sarasota's boat dock dilemma

With only a two-month time frame to work with, commissioners seated a five-member task force formed to deliver a recommended solution to the long-standing dilemma of commercial charter boat operators illegally using Sarasota County boat launches and docks to operate fishing and sight-seeing tours.

Selected from a list of 22 applicants, the selected members are:

• Jason Kobza and Brad Donahue, charter tour operator representatives
• Sherman Baldwin and Mason Tush, water access/marina property owners or charter tour operators with a lease of land abutting the marine park district representatives
• Tony Nakonetschny, community member at-large representative

In August 2022, Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources staff completed a commission assignment to research the development of a permit program for fishing charter and/or tour boats within the county water access parks that would legally allow the activity. That was in response to an increase in unauthorized commercial watercraft using parks and amenities as the pick-up and drop-off location for guests of private charters resulting largely in concerns over limited parking, ramp and dock safety, liability and the use of public space for private enterprise.

Recommendations presented by Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Director Nicole Rissler on Oct. 24, 2023, brought reactions by charter boat captains that prohibiting their activities would put multiple operators out of business, leave dozens of residents unemployed and harm tourism. Limited water access, they said, requires them to use public facilities in order to operate.

At its Jan, 30, 2024, meeting, the commission requested that County Administrator Jonathan Lewis bring back guidance on the composition of a task force to investigate unauthorized commercial activity and on the delegation of authority for approval of penalty fees for unauthorized use of county parks. 

With a time frame of June 1 to Aug. 1, the purpose of the task force is to determine a mechanism for lawful and legal operation of commercial water-based charter boat and tour excursion operators.