Crab Island is a popular party spot in Destin Harbor, where hundreds of boats and personal watercraft cruise and congregate, often with live bands on floating bandstands, huge inflatable water slides, and all types of other activities. The party can get so thick that emergency personnel and law enforcement have a difficult time responding to vessel collisions, boaters and swimmers in distress, fights and other incidents, according to Okaloosa County officials. Despite its seasonality and smaller coastline, Okaloosa ranks in the top 10 Florida counties for boating accidents.

Okaloosa County has requested to establish a vessel exclusion zone consisting of a 40 foot wide corridor through the area "to allow unobstructed access by emergency vehicles and vessels to provide services to protect the public," according to a notice from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). 

The ordinance establishes a "Vessel Exclusion Zone" 1,500 feet long and 40 feet wide (see image). All vessels, persons and obstacles will be required to remain outside of the zone, except emergency vessels and personnel. "The boundaries of the Vessel Exclusion Zone shall be designated by the placement of buoys no more than 100 feet apart. The buoys shall be of a type and nature that they will be clearly visible to those engaging in Water Recreational Activities and shall contain signage reflecting the presence of the Vessel Exclusion Zone."

Comments regarding the request will be accepted until Friday, November 13, 2015 (5:00 PM EST) by mail to FWC Boating and Waterways Section at 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600; or by email at [email protected].