The United States Coast Guard, which earlier this year proposed to remove hundreds of navigational markers along the Northeast coast, including buoys, day beacons, and lights, has unveiled the buoys it plans to eliminate, with several candidates for discontinuation in and around East Hampton Town waters.
The proposal to discontinue 350 buoys in the First Coast Guard District, encompassing the Northeast, is one of several efforts to modernize the approach to physical navigation aids, according to the Coast Guard. The design of the current buoy constellation mostly predates the global navigation satellite systems, electronic navigation charts, and electronic charting systems that are widely used by mariners today.
But the plan drew mostly negative reactions from commercial fishermen in the town, the chief harbormaster, and other boaters and government officials.
“Coastal Buoy Modernization Discontinuation Candidates,” as they are called on a map released by the Coast Guard, include the Montauk Harbor Entrance Lighted Bell Buoy, the Three Mile Harbor Entrance Lighted Bell Buoy, the Gardiner’s Bay South Entrance Lighted Bell Buoy, Blackfish Rock Buoy 3, the Shagwong Rock Lighted Buoy, the Gardiner’s Island Shoal Buoy, and the Shelter Island Sound North Channel Lighted Whistle Buoy. East of Montauk Point, the Endeavor Shoals Lighted Gong Buoy and the Block Island Sound South Entrance Obstruction Lighted Buoy are also listed as candidates for removal.
The proposed buoy changes are intended to “support the navigational needs of the 21st century, deliver efficient and economical service to manage vessel transit at an acceptable level of risk, better maintain the most critical risk-reducing buoys, and reduce the risk of aids to navigation discrepancies and electronic system failures for those aids most critical to safe navigation,” according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard solicited feedback on the proposal until June. According to The New York Times, more than 3,000 comments were received, far more than the previous high of 450, and it plans to release a revised list with fewer candidates for discontinuation in October. According to The Times, the Coast Guard will again solicit public comment. Buoys will not be removed before 2026.
The town trustees discussed the Coast Guard’s plan on Monday. “Not everyone has the kind of navigation equipment that we would like them to have,” Patrice Dalton said. “Some people do rely on the buoys for navigation.”
Most of the candidates for discontinuation in local waters “are very useful,” said Bill Taylor.
“I don’t think I’d want to be coming from Montauk to East Hampton around the south side of Gardiner’s Island at night,” John Aldred said, “and not have some idea of where the buoys are.”
“They were put there for a reason,” Mr. Taylor said, “and they should probably stay there.”
