Miami-Dade County is steering towards enhanced boater safety and bay education with the establishment of a new task force, as announced by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and backed by the Lucy Fernandez Foundation. The temporary Boater Safety and Bay Education Task Force is tasked to quickly deliver recommendations aimed at bolstering safety across Biscayne Bay and other county waterways, as well as educating the public on safe boating practices.
"Our County is committed to the protection of both residents and our natural resources. With this Task Force, we’re empowering trusted community voices and local experts to inform how local government can make our waterways safer for all," Mayor Levine Cava said in a statement obtained by Miami-Dade County's news release. This initiative comes as the region faces the haunting reality of increased boating incidents, with the intention to significantly reduce such tragedies and educate boaters on safer conduct.
Comprising eight members, the task force is a collective of local expertise and communal representation, including figures from the Lucy Fernandez and Monica Burguera Foundations—both organizations rooted in the aftermath of fatal boating accidents. Additional perspectives will come from the Key Biscayne Community Foundation, the Office of State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, and representatives from the boating industries, all bringing to the fore a focus on safety and the betterment of bay education.
According to figures released by The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there were 659 boating accidents and 59 fatalities in 2023, with a considerable number of incidents occurring in Miami-Dade County. The newly formed task force aims to adequately assess and address the underlying causes of these incidents in an effort to prevent future losses and to subsequently enlighten the boating community on safer navigation through their waters.
"In honor of Lucy Fernandez and the other precious lives lost due to preventable water safety tragedies, the Lucy Fernandez Foundation has been working tirelessly to promote boater safety and awareness," Andy Fernandez of the Lucy Fernandez Foundation told Miami-Dade County news. Transparency and public engagement will mark the process, with all meetings announced and records maintained following the Government in the Sunshine Laws.
