In an effort to increase navigation and protect the water quality inside the Indian River Lagoon and Fort Pierce Harbor, the St. Lucie County and the City of Fort Pierce have established an Anchoring Limitation Areas (ALA) within Fort Pierce Inlet per Florida Statute Section 327.4108.

A noticeable increase in long-term anchoring within internal segments of Fort Pierce Harbor has led to increased navigational concerns. This anchoring has amplified within and adjacent to the main federal navigation channel and associated turning basin, which has increased the number of vessels (both tended and untended) within this important corridor. Untended vessels have the potential to negatively impact our boating community and adjacent infrastructure, including the Port of Fort Pierce’s current mega yacht maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operation.

Two (2) ALA’s were recently adopted by the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners on July 22, 2025 (Ordinance 25-012) and their creation aims to reduce congestion within the inlet by limiting how long patrons can anchor within these established ALA areas. The imposed limits of stay will ultimately reduce the number of untended vessels within these ALA areas and will help support safe passage for the inlet’s boating community. Day-to-day interactions with patrons occupying these areas will also allow City and County staff to identify vessels that are at risk of becoming derelict (before they do) and provide an opportunity to distribute critical information regarding pump-out services in the region. The established ALA’s are graphically depicted below:

Anchoring Limitation Area 1 Coordinate Table

Point Number	Northing	Easting	Latitude	Longitude
A	1137865.4	878327.84	N027° 27 44	W080° 18 53
B	1139168.61	880732.21	N027° 27 95	W080° 18 26
C	1137520.69	878516.57	N027° 27 41	W080° 18 51
D	1137641.98	878955.24	N027° 27 42	W080° 18 46
E	1138165.42	880072.42	N027° 27 47	W080° 18 34
F	1138822.1	880920.18	N027° 27 53	W080° 18 24

Anchoring Limitation Area 2 Coordinate Table

Point Number	Northing	Easting	Latitude	Longitude
G	1137545.36	877215.12	N027° 27 41	W080° 19 06
H	1137870.41	876783.25	N027° 27 44	W080° 19 10
I	1139003.34	876299.09	N027° 27 55	W080° 19 16
J	1139907.33	880331.58	N027° 28 04	W080° 18 31
K	1139388.42	880613.07	N027° 27 59	W080° 18 28

Context: Map of the Indian River Lagoon and Ft. Pierce Inlet showing two designated anchoring limitation zones.

• ALA #1: 31.2 acres along the ICCWW interior channel.
• ALA #2: 99.4 acres east toward the inlet.

Legend

• Pink-shaded, black outline rectangle: Anchoring Limitation Area
• White-shaded, blue outline rectangle: ICCWW/Channel Limits
• Gray line with "-10" in middle: Contours
• Blue-shaded square: Sign
• Yellow-shaded, black outline triangle: Buoy
• 2 color-shaded (green and red), black outline triangles: Existing Aids to Navigation (ATON)
• Teal-shaded, black outline triangle: Existing Aids to Navigation (ATON) Range Light

Data sources: FDOT 2023 aerial imagery; Morgan & Eklund bathymetric survey dated 2023-09-28.

Anchoring restrictions in anchoring limitation area

A person may not anchor a vessel for more than 45 consecutive days in any six-month period in any anchoring limitation area established in this article without leaving all anchoring limitation areas for at least 24 hours.

Exemptions

• Vessels owned or operated by governmental entities for law enforcement, firefighting, military or rescue operations.
• Construction or dredging vessels on active job sites.
• Vessels actively engaged in commercial fishing.
• Vessels engaged in recreational fishing if the persons onboard are actively tending hook and line fishing gear or nets.
• Vessels anchored or moored within the riparian rights of the owner of the vessel, and only at a maximum distance from the shore of the riparian owner that provides the depth required for the safe anchorage/mooring of such vessel, considering the swing of the vessel at mean low tide.
• Any vessel upon the marked channel of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway.