BoatUS Foundation and Terrebonne Parish Remove ADVs

The BoatUS Foundation and Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government (TPCG) announced the removal of two abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) from waterways across Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, a major milestone in the parish’s effort to clear its bayous of sunken and derelict boats.

The removal, which ran October 6 to 7, targeted vessels throughout the Terrebonne Basin, part of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary. These abandoned boats sat idle in local waterways for years, becoming navigational and pollution hazards that threaten the clean, safe and navigable bayous the region depends on for its economy, lifestyle and culture. Clearing these hazards improves access for commercial and recreational fishing, boating and tourism activities like swamp tours and bird watching.

The project plans to remove about 75 vessels in total. Crews have already pulled nearly 50 from the water.

The effort, funded by a grant from the BoatUS Foundation, is part of a larger national initiative to remove hundreds of ADVs from waterways, supported by a 2023 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. Terrebonne Parish is one of 10 organizations across five states, one reservation and two territories to receive support under this national program.

BoatUS Foundation’s national ADV program includes a public database to report and track abandoned vessels across the United States, U.S. territories and the Freely Associated States. The BoatUS Foundation is also hosting the Turning the Tide Summit on December 6-9, 2026, in New Orleans, bringing together industry leaders, environmental stakeholders and waste management experts to work on removal, recycling and prevention solutions for ADVs.

The summit, just 55 miles from the Terrebonne Basin, is part of the Foundation’s pioneering effort to bring people together from across the country to proactively solve the problem of abandoned boats, both locally and nationally.

To report an abandoned or derelict vessel, submit a report here. Those interested in attending the Turning the Tide Summit, register here.