The state Department of Land and Natural Resources last week impounded three boats that were illegally moored in the Ala Wai Harbor — bringing this year’s total to 47 confiscated vessels.

Meghan Statts, the Oahu district manager for DLNR’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, said regular tenants in the Ala Wai Harbor frequently complain to DLNR about boats that should not be tied up there.

"There are often a number of illegally moored vessels in the Ala Wai and Keehi SBH (Small Boat Harbor), as these are the largest harbors on Oahu and the only harbors where live-aboards are allowed," Statts said in an email.

Since 2009, the state has impounded 118 boats in its Oahu harbors, according to the division.

Statts said it’s important for the state to clear out slips and moorings for paying tenants because the harbors have long waiting lists of people wanting a spot. Ala Wai Harbor, for example, has about 650 people on the list, she said.

"A lot of times, there is a criminal element that gets tied to these illegally moored vessels in the harbor," she said. "We continue the process (of impounding) so that we can remove these vessels and the criminal element from our facilities to make them safer for the regular tenants and the general public."

The three other districts — Hawaii, Kauai and Maui — also have illegal mooring problems, but Statts said more boats are impounded on Oahu because about
59 percent of all vessels registered with the state are home-ported here.

Statts said the boating division relocates the vessel in the harbor and conducts an inventory of the items left on it before a marine surveyor determines its value.

The boat is offered at public auction if it’s worth more than $5,000. In most cases, it is worth less than that, so it winds up being destroyed using money in the Boating Special Fund, Statts said.

The fund is made up of fees collected for vessel moorings, ramp fees, revenues from commercial users and miscellaneous revenue.