You are assuming it is only the water taxis that are a problem.
Problem not solved.
Phil: great common sense response. Changing human behavior should be the first consideration before changing anything else. Boat captains acting responsibly like adhering to a no wake limit when in proximity to land whould go a long way to making it safer. Of course I find that to be easier said than done, example is the no wake zone in Boca del Rio that almost no one adheres to. Having said that, if the people providing services to the tourists cannot do so in a safe manner, then it does not speak well for the future of tourism.
The "bad apple" principle comes to mind. If you have some bad apples, changing to basket won't solve the problem.