Sea Grant educates anglers and boaters on safe and clean recreational use

Syracuse, NY, May 26, 2011 - In honor of National Boat Safety Week, which is May 21 to May 27, 2011, New York Sea Grant's Coastal Recreation & Tourism Specialist Dave White gave ABC-affiliate Channel 9 WSYR viewers tips on how to stay safe while enjoying the water this summer. White's campaign - a partnership of New York Sea Grant, the Boating Industries Association and Marathon Boat Group - recently received a commendation from the BoatUS Foundation. It recognized the creation of this consumer education campaign as a face-to-face, personal way to educate boaters of all types about being safe and environmentally-friendly.

The 2011 Discover Clean and Safe Boating campaign, which features different types of vessels each year, will be at many waterfront events throughout the summer. This year, two NY-made vessels made the list - a 16-foot fishing boat and 12’9 canoe.

So, why is boat safety so important? "You'd be surprised at how many people aren't aware of all the safety measures, especially as laws keep changing from year to year," says White. "A big change for paddle sports folks in the last few years is that you now have to have a personal flotation device onboard for everybody." White also reminds people to check the safety kit on their boat - especially the fire extinguisher and flares.

Also, to keep anglers and motorized boats safe and clean, there a few easy tips to keep in mind. First, always file a float plan so people know where you are going and when to expect you back. Also, make sure to use a fuel nozzle bib when fueling up to catch any pills that might happen. Another easy suggestion for staying safe on the water is to rinse anything that comes in contact with water, this includes bait buckets and even your dog that might have jumped in the water with you.