Contact:

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

Oswego, NY, June 2, 2014 - Boating season is underway in New York and that brings with it the risk of invasive species being spread into rivers and lakes. For this edition of Going Green, Time Warner Cable News’ Terry Ettinger has more.

"One thing people should be aware of is that several new local and state regulations have been put in place requiring folks to remove all plant and animal products from their boats. So in addition to clean, drain and dry there are now body of water specific regulations that boaters and other users should be aware of," said Dave White, a recreation specialist with New York Sea Grant.

The big concern is the spread of invasive plants and aquatic life to a new location.

"The clean, drain and dry campaign continues to move forward to ensure that boaters and others are not moving an invasive species from one body of water to an additional one they might be enjoying throughout the course of the day," said White.

Two invasive species top the list of concerns in northeast and Midwest waterways.

"Really, the discussion about invasive species right now is about hydrilla, an aquatic plant that moves around on its own but is assisted by boaters and other users. There is also a lot of concern about Asian Carp coming into the Great Lakes through the Mississippi," said White.

White says the key to prevent the spread of any invasive species is careful inspection and cleaning. "And remember anything that comes in contact with the water be it a boat fender, the anchor, the boat, your ski equipment or your dive equipment can transport an invasive species. So check anything that’s been in the body of water."

For more on this topic, check out the video clip.

And there's more "NYSG Great Lakes Boating & Marine Trades" News available via the "News/Topics" link in the left-hand sidebar at www.nyseagrant.org/marina.



More Info: Related NYSG Fact Sheets

Asian Carp - Threats to the Lower Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River? (pdf)

• Related News Item: New Fact Sheet on Asian Carp (New York Coastlines, Winter 2012) More>

Hydrilla - Be On Alert (pdf)

NYSG's “Not Wanted: Hydrilla” (pdf)

Invasive Species of Lakes Erie and Ontario (pdf)


More Info: Discover Better Boating

The Discover Better Boating in New York television series of monthly tips is a collaborative, educational outreach effort by New York Sea Grant, the Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York (BIA) and YNN, Syracuse.

Series host Dave White, a coastal recreation and tourism specialist with New York Sea Grant, interviews marine industry professionals about how to enjoy New York’s waters cleanly, safely, cost-effectively, legally, and in environmentally-friendly ways.

The seasonal series began in 2011 as a result of Discover Clean & Safe Boating campaign created by New York Sea Grant and BIA in 2008.

Shows air the third Saturday of the month from May through October. An archive of previous transcripts for individual "Discover Better Boating" segments, as well as video streaming, can be found via NYSG's "Great Lakes Boating & Marine Trades" resource site, www.nyseagrant.org/marina - click the "New/Topics" link in the left-hand sidebar and check out the "Discover Better Boating" sections on this page.

More Info: NYSG, BIA of Upstate New York, Time Warner Cable News

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NSGCP engages this network of the nation’s top universities in conducting scientific research, education, training and extension projects designed to foster science-based decisions about the use and conservation of our aquatic resources. Through its statewide network of integrated services, NYSG has been promoting coastal vitality, environmental sustainability, and citizen awareness about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources since 1971.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links. NYSG also offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/coastlines for NY Coastlines/Currents, its flagship publication, which is distributed several times a year.
 
The Boating Industries Association of Upstate NY is an association of independent marine dealers, retailers and marine-related businesses located throughout Central NY. The February Central NY Boat Show and Fall Boat Sale are annual BIA events at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Learn more: www.cnyboating.com.

Time Warner Cable News (TWCN) - part of a network of twelve 24-hour local news channels owned and operated by Time Warner Cable nationwide - began cablecasting as News 10 Now on November 7, 2003. Operating from its headquarters building in downtown Syracuse, TWCN has a huge coverage area, a 15,000+ square mile stretch of Upstate New York. To cover this large area, TWCN provides two separate program feeds - one to Central/Northern NY and another to the Southern Tier - and reaches some 600,000 subscribers across 25 counties. Learn more: http://centralny.twcnews.com.