23. a. A municipality may adopt an ordinance, or a harbor commission may adopt a resolution, requiring every owner or operator of a vessel that moors or docks in a municipal waterway, or grounds on land, under the control of the municipality or harbor commission, to register with the official designated by the ordinance or resolution to have jurisdiction over the public land or municipal waterway where the vessel is moored, grounded, or docked. The registration shall include the length of time the vessel is intended to remain at the location along with the home address and telephone number of the owner or operator of the vessel, and a local address and telephone number where the owner or operator can be contacted. Nothing in this section shall prevent the operator of a vessel from anchoring, grounding, or mooring a vessel when an emergency exists that requires such action to be taken to safeguard the lives of the passengers, the vessel, or the environment.

b. If an ordinance or resolution has been adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section, then notice shall be posted around the harbor, municipal waterway, navigable stream, or public land stating where the owner or operator of a vessel shall register the required information.

c. The ordinance or resolution shall designate one or more holding areas, public or private, at which vessels in violation of the registration requirement may be held.

d. After a vessel has been moored, grounded, or docked without registration for a period of one week, an enforcement official acting for or on behalf of the municipality or harbor commission, may affix a notice on the vessel advising that if the vessel is not removed by the date indicated on the notice, which shall be no less than seven calendar days following the date that the notice is affixed, then the vessel, including any trailer upon which a grounded vessel has been placed, will be removed to a holding area.

e. No public entity, agents, or authorized representatives shall be held liable for any damage or loss to any vessel or its contents that is removed to a holding area and stored pursuant to the authority of this section.

f. An owner or operator who violates the provisions of an ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $100 nor more than $1,250. Each day upon which the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. The civil penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be collected pursuant to the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C. 2A:58-10 et seq.), in a summary proceeding. An official authorized by ordinance to enforce regulations related to municipal waterways or a law enforcement officer having enforcement authority in that municipality may issue a summons for a violation of the provisions of the ordinance and may serve and execute all process with respect to the enforcement of this section consistent with the Rules of Court. A penalty recovered under the provisions of this section shall be recovered by and in the name of the State by the local municipality. The penalty shall be paid into the treasury of the municipality in which the violation occurred for the general uses of the municipality.

L.2008, c.52, s.23.