Mission

The mission of the Association is to employ the resources of a growing membership to accomplish agreed objectives that benefit member firms, our State and our unique environment, and to contribute to professionalism in the marine industry in general and the marine construction industry in particular.

1. It is the responsibility of all FMCA members to comply with appropriate local, State and Federal laws.
   1. FMCA realizes that unfair, unclear, unnecessary and even counter-productive rules and regulations make compliance virtually impossible to achieve.
   2. FMCA recognizes that extensive reform is needed to create a fair and level playing field.
2. FMCA’s goal is to educate the public, the media and public officials on the need for, and benefits of, extensive reform in marine construction rules and regulations. Reform is critical to the success of our mission.
3. To help facilitate our goal, FMCA will develop FAQs on each of these critical subjects.
   1. When appropriate,FMCA staff will appear before county/city/state boards and report as to our understanding of applicable rules/regs, based on the FAQs we have developed.
   2. FMCA will develop press releases and other materials for distribution and discussion with members, member clients, media, public officials and the public.
   3. The FMCA ADVOCATE will regularly feature articles and letters on critical topics to help members better understand the issues and thereby make better, more informed, business decisions.

The Board has endorsed specific goals:

U.S. Longshore & Harbormasters Act Insurance Reform

1.            Optimally, elimination of this requirement for marine construction.

2.         Reforming Longshore in Florida.   Initiate a dialog with the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) to discuss the creation of USL&H classes for marine construction.  ACCOMPLISHED!

Permitting Reform

1. Permits must be reviewed in a timely, organized and consistent process.

Compliance & Licensing Reform

1. Adoption of a Uniform Dock Construction Code.
2. Creation of a State marine specialty construction license.
3. Working with officials and other organization to improve licensing and permitting enforcement.

ACCOMPLISHED!

Policy Development & Implementation Reform

1. Devolution of authority to the local level (i.e., decisions are best made locally).
2. More balanced and more powerful stakeholder panels
   • reduce the number of stakeholder slots allocated to governmental staff and non-stakeholders.
   • burden of proof rests exclusively on the rule-making agency (i.e., it is never the responsibility of a citizen or contractor to prove why a rule is not necessary; it is always the burden of the agency to prove why it is).

Improved Awareness of the Marine Construction Industry in Florida

1. Research to assess and understand the size and impact of marine construction on our State’s economy.
2. Regular updates on industry innovations and changing procedures.
3. Case studies and other “best practices.”