On March 9th, Bay Planning Coalition’s first Expert Briefing of 2017 convened over 60 individuals from across San Francisco Bay to learn about some of the key issues impacting the Bay’s recreational boating community. Hosted at Brickyard Cove Marina, attendees included those from various boating associations, public and private marinas, ship and boatyards, and several state and local agencies among other stakeholders.
BPC Expert Briefing on March 9th at Brickyard Cove Marina
The program kicked off with a presentation by Thomas Dammrich, President of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), on the market trends and impacts of recreational boating in California and in the nation. NMMA’s most recent study shows that recreational boating has a total annual economic impact of $8.9 billion in California.
Click here to view the program and presentations.
Attendees then heard from two expert panels, one on copper regulation and another on abandoned and derelict vessels. While recent regulatory proposals, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 draft revised federal standard for copper in marine waters, are not expected to impact San Francisco Bay, there are other management strategies the boating industry and regulators could consider to reduce the impacts of copper in water. Aside from the continued search for an effective copper-free biocide, another recommended tool is to educate boaters about the frequency and intensity of in-hull cleaning, which affects copper (and other potential toxic chemicals) loading and leaching into waters.
Thomas Dammrich, NMMA, talks about market trends and impacts in California.
Lynn Sadler, Deputy Director of the Division of Boating and Waterways, moderated the second panel on abandoned and derelict vessels. Abandoned and derelict vessels was a key issue that emerged early on in BPC’s Marinas & Boatyards Committee, and continues to be a challenge in the San Francisco Bay region. Staff from the Port of Redwood City, the Sausalito Police Department, and the Contra Costa County’s Office of the Sheriff discussed the history of abandoned and derelict boats in the Bay as well as how public agencies are currently working to address the problem.
As a committee-developed event, BPC appreciated this opportunity to both learn from and engage with members and experts of the Bay’s recreational boating community. BPC’s Marinas & Boatyards Committee meets quarterly and is open to working with new members and engaging in areas of collaboration to further advance the interests of the region’s boating industry.
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“The Bay Planning Coalition is a non-profit organization well known for its advocacy and credibility in the San Francisco Bay Area corporate and environmental community. When we speak about an issue, legislators and regulators listen.” – John A. Coleman CEO
Tags: abandoned boats, Bay Area, boating, copper