U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) implemented revised clearance procedures for pleasure boats arriving in the United States from foreign waters. In the pleasure boat environment, the master of any vessel must report their arrival to CBP after having been at any foreign port (Bahamas, etc.) or place or after having contact with any hovering vessel.

South Florida ranks as one of the most active areas in the nation for small vessel traffic--and lots of that traffic is east-west between Florida and The Bahamas.

For this upcoming boating season, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be staffing identified marinas on a part-time basis as designated reporting locations. In addition, CBP will be adding additional facilities to comply with the face-to-face inspection. These facilities are to be used after obtaining a clearance number from CBP. Boaters arriving outside the operating hours of the reporting locations will adhere to current procedures where they will call the following toll-free numbers and report their arrival.

Effective, May 28, 2006, the following marinas will be staffed by CBP Officers every Sunday and Monday and concluding on Labor Day weekend. In addition, these locations will be staffed on the Tuesdays following the three upcoming holidays (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day).

Miami Beach Marina, Sundays and Mondays, 12 noon - 8 p.m.

Lauderdale Marina, Sundays and Mondays, 12 noon – 8 p.m.

Sailfish Marina, Singer Island, Sundays and Mondays, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Sailfish Marina, Stuart, Sundays and Mondays, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Phone-in arrivals:

Masters, crew and passengers must report their arrivals immediately upon entering the United States by going to a designated reporting location or calling the following 1-800 numbers: 1-800-432-1216, 1-800-451-0393 Upon completion of phoning-in arrival, boaters will be directed to the nearest Port of Entry to present themselves and any passengers for a face-to-face interview within 24 hours. South Florida Ports of Entry are as follows:

Ft. Lauderdale Exec. Airport, 7 days a week 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., 5575 NW 15 Street, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, (954) 356-7412

Key West 7 days a week 7 a.m. - 8 p.m., 301 Simonton Street, Suite 201, Key West, Florida, (305) 296-2233

Miami General Aviation Facility, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 3371 NW 64 Ave, Miami, Florida, (305) 526-7155

Opa Locka Airport, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., 4371 NW 150th Street, Opa Locka, Florida, (305) 687-5475,

Palm Beach Intl Airport, 7 days a week, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Bldg.1612 S. Perimeter Rd., West Palm Beach, Florida, (561) 233-1083

Port Everglades, 7 days a week, 7 a.m. - 12 a.m., 1800 Eller Drive, Suite 110, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, (954) 761-2000

Port of Miami, 7 days a week, 6 a.m. - 10 p.m., 903 South America Way, Term. H, Miami, Florida, (305) 536-4758

Tamiami Executive Airport, 7 days a week, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., 14720 SW 128th Street, Miami, Florida, (305) 969-7511

West Palm Beach, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., 1 East 11th Street, Riviera Beach, Florida, (561) 848-6922

Ft. Lauderdale General Aviation Facility, 7 days a week 8 a.m. - 12 midnight, (Midnight to 8 a.m. must call in advance), 1050 Lee Wagner Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, (954) 356-7946

Ft. Pierce, St. Lucie County Intl. Airport, 7 days a week, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., 2990 Curtis King Blvd, Ft. Pierce, Florida, (772) 461-1733

Northeast Florida and Gulf of Mexico

For pleasure boats returning to locations in Northern Florida and along the Gulf of Mexico, pleasure boat arrival reporting is a two-step process:

1. All arriving pleasure boats must call one of the following CBP Ports of Entry immediately upon arrival.

2. Upon completion of telephonic arrival notification, boaters will be directed to the nearest Port of Entry to present themselves and any passengers for a face-to-face interview.

Port Canaveral, 120 George King Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920, (321) 783-2066 ext 2

Daytona Beach Intl Airport, 720 Coral Sea Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, (386) 248-8043

Fernandina Beach, 403 N. 3rd St, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034, (904) 261-6154

Ft. Myers, SW Florida Intl Airport, 11000 Terminal Access Rd, Ft. Myers, Fl 33913, (239) 561-6205

Jacksonville, 2831 Talleyrand Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32206, (888) 751-2827

Manatee, 300 Tampa Bay Way, Palmetto, FL 34221, (813) 634-1369

Melbourne, One Air Terminal Parkway, Melbourne, FL 32901, (321) 674-5796

Panama City, 5209 W. Highway 98, Panama City, FL 32401, (850) 785-4688

Pensacola, 600 University Office Blvd, Pensacola, Fl 32504, (850) 476-0117

Sarasota, 6048 Airport Circle, Sarasota, FL 34243, (941) 359-5040

St. Petersburg, 14700 Terminal Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33762, (727) 536-7311

Tampa, 1624 E. 7th Ave, Tampa, Florida 33605, (813) 228-2385 x 119

In addition, for holidays during this upcoming boating season, the below cited marinas have been added as designated reporting locations. To receive pleasure boat clearance at one of these designated reporting locations, please call the appropriate Port of Entry (underlined, in bold below) at least 1 hour prior to arrival. CBP officers from responsible Ports of Entry will provide pleasure boat Holiday clearance services at these designated reporting locations, on the following dates: May 29-30 (Memorial Day), July 4-5 (Fourth of July) and September 4-5 (Labor Day):

Port Canaveral, FL, Cape Marina, 800 Scallop Drive, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920, 12:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Ft. Myers, FL, Cape Coral Yacht Basin, 5819 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral, FL 33904, 12:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Marina, 4852 Ocean St, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233, 12:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Holiday pleasure boat clearances at the above designated reporting locations will cease after Labor Day weekend.