Officials Lash Out at Abandonment of Barges in New York Waters
Boating News
The National Parks Service estimated that about 190 abandoned vessels had been left to rot in the 25,000 acres that make up Jamaica Bay.
Source: NYT > Boats and Boating
If most of these are small boat why not impound them and if noone comes to claim them or retrieve them sale them at a action. I bet some will buy a boat or two and fix them up to enjoy on the waterway.
As far as the barges. Being a big bulky item this could be a harder item or items to get rid of. I would see about sinking them off the coast of florida or other southern states to help grow a artificial reef for sea life habitats.