Note: Many of the products available here are in the Adobe PDF format you will need to download the free Adobe reader if you do not have it. These products are indicated by the Adobe PDF icon.

•  Dive Smart: This fact sheet explains how to be an environmentally-responsible diver.

• Waste Management Plan for Recreational Boaters Title 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 151.57 requires all oceangoing vessels 40 feet or more in length used in commerce or equipped with a galley and berthing to have a written waste management plan. This includes numbered and documented recreational vessels operating seaward of the inland/international demarcation line.  All boaters may want to look at this to evaluate things that they can do to improve clean boating!  The Captain or Person in Charge of the vessel is responsible for ensuring that a written waste management plan is on board, and that each person handling garbage follows that plan. The plan must describe the vessel’s procedures for collecting, processing, storing and discharging garbage, and designate the person who is in charge of carrying out the plan. Remember, garbage (including food wastes) may not be thrown overboard on inland waters or in the ocean within three miles of land. Plastics may not be thrown overboard anywhere. In addition, 33 CFR 151.59 requires that all vessels 26 feet or greater in length have a MARPOL Annex V placard prominently displayed for the crew and passengers regardless of whether your boat operates on inland waters or the ocean.

• Other USCG Products – available in single quantities from Commandant (G-MOR-1), U.S. Coast Guard, 2100 Second St., S.W., Washington DC 20593-0001, e-mail.

  • Our Water Planet (pamphlet) — Striking color pictures of animal entanglement and shoreline debris convey the environmental protection message in this pamphlet.  Includes advice for boaters and beach-goers.

  • How’s the Water (pamphlet) — The citizen pollution report form introduce the issues of water pollution and the importance of citizen reporting.  Provides guidance in citizen pollution reporting and information gathering.

  • Help Us Protect the Marine Environment (pamphlet) — This black-and-white pamphlet contains very basic information on marine pollution as well as a citizen report form for reporting pollution incidents to the National Response Center.

  • Tips to Keep Your Boat in Top Shape (pamphlet) — Written for the “do-it-yourself” boater, the “Tip Top” brochure offers ways to protect the water environment while cleaning, sanding, painting, or performing general maintenance on a boat.

  • Your Ticket to an Environmentally Safe Boat Trip (pamphlet) — Presented in a large, colorful format, this brochure introduces several boating safety tips and explains why these same safety tips can also help protect the water environment.

  • Water Watch (booklet) — Produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, this 16-page booklet provides environmental advice to boaters on a variety of topics.

  • Popeye Poster — A colorful poster showing the cartoon character Popeye advising people not to throw their trash overboard.

  • Report Marine Pollution Sticker — A 3″ x 6″ sticker with the Coast Guard “racing stripe” logo and the National Response Center 1-800 number for reporting pollution incidents.  Peel-off backing also contains MARPOL dumping restrictions information.

  • Turning the Tide on Trash: A Learning Guide on Marine Debris – published by the EPA; a variety of suggested activities adaptable for grades 1 through 10; available in English or Spanish

  • Officer Snook Hands-On Minds-On Activity Book – water pollution-related activities and crafts for elementary school children.

Helpful Links

• NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management
• EPA’s Students for the Environment – Activities and information for kids and teachers about environmental topics such as water pollution, recycling, and global warming. Games, art projects, stories, science experiments, and much more help kids learn to make the earth a cleaner place to live.

• US Coast Guard Sea Partners
  Environmental education and outreach program focused on communities to develop awareness of maritime pollution issues and to improve compliance with marine environmental protection laws and regulations; links related to marine debris, small spills, clean boating practices, and kids and teacher resources.

• The Management Magazine for the Recreational Marine Industry.
  Searchable for current industry news and information, communications with industry professionals, product and services information, current and past issues of Boating Industry magazine, Internet resources and links to other sites, specific tools for use in your business, advertising and subscription.
  http://www.boating-industry.com/

• Environment Canada

• Oil Water and Chocolate mousse   This Web site is not about chocolate mousse (a name given to a particular combination of oil and water that sometimes forms when oil is spilled), but it does apply to clean boating and provides information about oil, oil spills, and measures you can take to prevent or minimize the effect of a spill.

• Center for Marine Conservation
  Searchable for “boats” on clean up campaigns, youth educational activities on boats and the environment.
  http://www.oceanconservancy.org/

• Chesapeake Bay Program
  Bay news and information on the watershed restoration project.
  http://www.chesapeakebay.net
  “Annotated Bibliography of Marina and Recreational Boater Pollution Education Material”
  http://www.cetew.ca.gov/coastalcomm.boat.bib.html

• Florida Clean Vessel Act Home Page
  Program overview, frequently asked questions, project list, program objectives and accomplishment schedule, a map of Clean Vessel Act grant applicants, an interactive map of CVA Partnership Projects, marina services and locations of sewage pumpouts, on-line request form for application package and further information, information on the proposed Clean Marina Program, and the Florida marinas database. https://floridadep.gov/rcp/cva/content/about-clean-vessel-act

• Association of Marina Industries
  Is a non-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to serving the needs of the marina industry.
  https://marinaassociation.org

• Marine Retailers Association of America
  National trade association representing marine dealers, marina operators, and other marine related businesses, includes legislative alerts, organization profile, membership information, link to “BoatFacts”, a resource for information on boats and boating.
  http://mraa.com

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources
  Searchable for information on fisheries, bays, streams, wildlife, parks land, trees, forests, the outdoors, science, education, services and news updates in the state of Maryland.
  http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating

• Maryland CVA Program
  Boat sewage pumpout program in Maryland.
  https://dnr.maryland.gov/Boating/Pages/pumpout/home.aspx

• National Safe Boating Council
  Annual National Safe Boating Week program and information.
  http://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/

• Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
  A coalition of citizens and organizations concerned about the health of Puget Sound, programs and events, volunteer opportunities, partnerships and newsletters.
  http://www.halycon.com/pskeeper/index.html

• Rhode Island Sea Grant
  RI Sea Grant has excellent publications on line about marina and boating environmental management, including fact sheets on sanding and painting, vessel sewage, bilges and fueling, engine maintenance, and vessel cleaning and fish waster; also good information on Narrgansett Bay and its ecosystem; searchable files.
  http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu

• The National Sea Grant Program also has many good books, posters and videos that you can order or borrow via Interlibrary loan

• University of Wisconsin
  “Educating Young People About Water”; summary of 100 reviewed curricula in the Guide to Goals and Resources to help develop a community-based, youth water education program that targets youth and links key community members in partnerships.
  http://uwex.edu/erc/ywc/sumlist.htm

• US Fish and Wildlife Service, Clean Vessel Act
  Information on the CVA program which provides matching federal grants through the states for installation of pumpout and dump stations.
  https://www.fws.gov/program/clean-vessel-act

• US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water
  Nonpoint Source Pollution Information Exchange: NEWS-NOTES on the condition of the water-related environment, the control of nonpoint sources of water pollution, and the management and restoration of watersheds.
  http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-water

• US Environmental Protection Agency, Index of Watershed Indicators
  Maps and information about watersheds nationwide. http://www.epa.gov/surf/