Contact:

Dave White, New York Sea Grant, Recreation/Tourism Specialist, P: 315.312.3042, E: dgw9@cornell.edu

Oswego, NY, January 26, 2012 - Without leaving their desk, marina and boatyard operators from around the country can learn about the latest best management practices and important environmental topics via a Clean Marina Webinar set for 8 – 11:30 am EST on Wednesday, February 1.


This webinar is the first in a series led by several Sea Grant programs in the Great Lakes region as part of an effort to increase Clean Marina Program participation. It will broadcast the Clean Marinas workshop at the International Marina & Boatyard Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, one of the largest industry conferences in the country. The venue attracts more than 500 marina operators/owners and related service industries every year.

“We are taking advantage of the venue to meet with Clean Marina managers from across the country,” says Vicky Harris of Wisconsin Sea Grant. “It’s an opportunity to share program success stories and learn from each other about ways to address challenges.”

Webinar attendees will learn about managing stormwater runoff, vessel wash wastewater treatment options, the Clean Marina program, invasive species management, and online training for marina managers. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions via a live chat after the presentation.

Attending the Clean Marina webinar is free, but you must pre-register by Tuesday, January 31. To register, visit go.osu.edu/CleanMarinas. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email with log-in information. Contact Jill Jentes Banicki at jentes.1@osu.edu with any questions.

New York Sea Grant's Recreation/Tourism Specialist Dave White will provide opening remarks as well as discuss invasive species management for marinas and boaters.

White's BoatUS Foundation award-winning Discover Clean and Safe Boating initiative, now in it's third year, includes an invasive species emphasis - from Asian carp to zebra mussels. “It was a wonderful honor to have the BoatUS Foundation recognize this New York Sea Grant initiative that has boaters and watercraft users actively engaged in learning what they need to legally, safely and cleanly boat on New York’s waters,” says White.

The 2012 version of the Discover Clean and Safe Boating campaign, to be unveiled at the Central Boat Show in mid-February, includes hands-on opportunities at a series of spring and summer events using a 17-foot sailboat as well as live in-water life jacket demonstrations.

“We're excited to continue traveling through the Great Lakes region to encourage diverse types of groups and individuals to use easy-to-implement clean boating practices to help slow the spread of aquatic invasive species,” says White.

Clean Marina programs are part of a national initiative to engage marinas and boatyards in voluntarily best management practices that improve water quality, reduce environmental risk to people and aquatic life, and protect the water resources that sustain the boating industry.

The Green Marina Education and Outreach project is a strategic collaboration between Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs to support Clean Marina education and outreach efforts across the Great Lakes states. The Green Marina project is supported by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Learn more at miseagrant.umich.edu/greenmarina.