Who Pays to Dredge Big Marco Pass, and Who Benefits?
Rick explores who will benefit from dredging Big Marco Pass, and the questions that should be asked before taxpayers are asked to pay for it.
Rick Woodworth
8/29/20262 min read
At the August 27, 2026 joint session of the Collier County Board of County Commissioners and Marco Island City Council, the City formally asked that Big Marco Pass be added to Collier County's Beach Management Plan and that the County assume responsibility for dredging it. If approved, the work could involve County taxpayer dollars.
The request deserves careful public discussion because maintaining a deeper, more reliable channel could be pushed forward to benefit commercial operators, including Rose Marina and the cruise vessels that use its facility. This does not necessarily mean the request was made primarily for Rose Marina's benefit. It does mean taxpayers should understand who would benefit, what the project would cost, and whether public funding is appropriate. If Rose Marina is the only beneficiary that believes the dredging would be worth the cost, perhaps Rose Marina, rather than the taxpayers, should pay for it.
Collier County did not appear ready to assume responsibility at this time. However, the request is now on the record and could return for future consideration.
Before public money is committed, several legal and practical issues should be answered:
The federal government's authorized navigation project which will begin in the near future, only clearly covers the interior channel from Naples south to Big Marco Pass. Whether the modern Gulf entrance through Capri Pass, the stretch Rose Marina actually needs for larger vessels, falls inside that federal project at all is an open question that has never been resolved against the original 1938 authorization. Currently, it does not appear to be covered in those plans.
The submerged bottom under the Pass is presumptively State of Florida sovereignty land, held in trust for the public, not federal or county property.
No single government entity has a blanket legal duty to dredge the whole modern route to whatever depth a cruise operation would need.
In short, no government entity appears to be legally obligated to dredge the route Rose Marina needs for larger cruise vessels, so taxpayers should not automatically be expected to pay for it.
These questions should be resolved before the City or County commits taxpayer money. Rose Marina is entitled to present its plans and explain the public benefits it believes they would provide. Residents are equally entitled to ask whether dredging is needed primarily for general navigation and public safety, whether it would mainly support private commercial activity, and how the costs should be divided.
The central question is simple: Who benefits from the dredging, and who should pay for it?
Other important topics were also discussed at the joint session. The complete agenda and meeting video are available on the City's website.
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Political advertisement paid for and approved by Rick Woodworth, 2026 candidate for Marco Island City Council