New York Sea Grant is bringing the 16-foot “made in New York” Discover Clean and Safe Boating educational vessel (pictured) with information from the national Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers campaign to the State Fair Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. The boat is seen here at the 2013 Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls. (Photo by Brian P. Whattam)
(Syracuse, NY – Aug. 2013) The 2013 Discover Clean and Safe Boat will be at the New York State Fair August 30-September 2 with its message about how motorized and non-motorized boaters can enjoy New York waters legally, safely and in an environmentally-friendly way.
The 16-foot, made-in-Marathon-NY vessel that is equipped with gear required and recommended for boating on New York waters will be on exhibit in the Cornell Youth Building.
The Discover Clean and Safe Boating campaign developed by New York Sea Grant and sponsored by the Boating Industries Association of Upstate New York (BIA), other marine trade association across the state, and Marathon Boat Group also distributes information about how boaters, paddle sport enthusiasts, anglers, and sportsmen can help slow the spread of aquatic invasive species.
“This educational campaign engages diverse audiences throughout the Great Lakes region and across New York State with information on how they can follow easy-to-implement clean and safe boating practices,” says campaign developer and New York Sea Grant Coastal Recreation and Tourism Specialist Dave White, “and everyone who enjoys the great waters of New York state can take a role in slowing the spread of aquatic invasive species.”
The NY State Fair will be one of the last venues for the 2013 Discover Clean and Safe Boat. The campaign features a different type of watercraft each year and received a BoatUS Foundation Environmental Leadership Commendation in 2010.
For more info on the 2013 Discover Clean & Safe Boating campaign, contact White at New York Sea Grant, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, 315-312-3042, or visit www.nysgextension.org.