Ahead of the busy Memorial Day weekend, the City of Miami has announced that it will be closing four of its spoil islands in an effort to cut down on contamination and littering throughout Biscayne Bay and the islands.
City officials announced Wednesday that Osprey Island, Morningside Island, Willis Island, and Pace Picnic Island also known as "Teachers Island," will be temporarily closed beginning Friday.
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Anyone trespassing onto the islands will be subject to arrest, and the Marine Patrol unit will enforce zero-tolerance measures against those seen trespassing, officials said.
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Boaters who visit the islands were advised to seek alternate destinations.
"The Miami Police and Parks and Recreation Departments are collaborating to raise public awareness about the detrimental impacts of littering and will enforce existing laws and regulations," the city said in a statement. "This is a temporary measure to evaluate and restore the natural beauty in our City and our waterways."
The decision is part of a larger effort to promote environmental stewardship and responsible recreation.
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"We're going to temporarily shut them down so we can evaluate and better safeguard our our bay and the islands," city spokesperson Kenia Fallat said. "We do know Memorial Day is coming up. We just want people to understand that we're not going to tolerate this. Anyone that has seen trespassing will be subject to arrest."
