Author(s)

M. Takezawa

Abstract

Unlawfully moored boats on rivers pose a number of problems, including hindering the navigation of other ships, the obstruction of river outflow, damage to bank protection facilities, and shipwrecks. A solution to these problems is needed quickly for several reasons, such as maintaining social order and flood evacuation safety. The actual state of unlawfully moored boats on rivers, the regulation of pleasure boats, and the mooring facilities of boats in Japan are discussed in this paper. The primary reasons for boats to be unlawfully moored on rivers were unethical behavior of pleasure boat owners and scarcity of boat storage facilities. Therefore, a system must be established to deal with pleasure boats and boat storage must be made obligatory. Keywords: unlawfully moored boat, pleasure boat, boat storage, river marina. 1 Introduction In order to maintain the environment and prevent environmental deterioration, a practical plan for use of the waterways is needed. Recently, as the result of numerous discussions and measures to combat environmental problems, various problems regarding water quality have been solved and the natural environment has been restored. In addition, the number of people gathering at rivers is increasing. For financial reasons, the Japanese government and municipalities that manage rivers and ports are unable to provide the necessary services. Moreover, the shortage in boat storage facilities and the unethical behavior of pleasure boat owners are increasing yearly. As a result, rivers and harbors that were once elegant and comfortable spaces have deteriorated due to unlawfully moored boats. Unlawfully moored boats are posing a new social problem with

Keywords

unlawfully moored boat, pleasure boat, boat storage, river marina.