Section 1: Staff Training and Business Practice

In this section, you covered:

Staff training:
It is important to provide adequate and ongoing training for employees, particularly when they are dealing with substances that could harm the environment or themselves. For example, training on how to handle used oil, batteries and solvents could protect human health and the environment and could save you money.

Offering courses or workshops for extended education:
Consider enrolling yourself or staff in marina-related courses at community colleges, workshops through county extension programs or presentations by boating industry experts related to environmental protection and best practices.

Maintaining training records:
Documented training provides a record required by some plans (e.g., stormwater pollution prevention plan) and is helpful in case of insurance claims.

Looking for pollution incidents in your marina:
Ask employees as well as patrons to watch for potential pollution incidents. Ask your staff to be absolutely diligent in containing pollution from waterways, boaters and from marina operations. Encourage your staff to look for and immediately halt polluting activities like uncontained sanding, painting, or varnishing or sewage discharges within the marina, for example.

Incorporating BMPs into contracts:
In addition to being a legal document, contracts are very effective educational tools. Use the contract to inform boaters and contractors how to minimize their environmental impacts. Include language requiring the use of best management practices as well as language that specifies the consequences of no using BMPs.

Approaching polluters:
Develop a procedure and provide training to employees to approach boaters or contractors who are not following best management practices. Specifically, determine who will address boaters and contractors who are polluting.

Fee language:
Charge for tangible items such as tarps, vacuum sanders, and protective clothing rather than a flat “environmental surcharge.” Consider donating a portion of rental fees (e.g., for vacuum sanders) to an environmental organization. The boater can feel good about controlling pollution and about the fact that a portion of his or her money is going to help conserve nature.

Section 2: Boater Education and Public Relations

In this section, you covered:

Posting signs describing BMPs:
Post clearly visible signs regarding your best management practices throughout the marina, in places where they are relevant and easy to spot.

Distributing clean boating information to boaters:
Provide information (brochures, fact sheets, workshops, tours, direct mail, billing inserts) promoting environmentally friendly marina and boating practices to boaters. Promote Clean Boater programs if available in your state.

Offering environmental reviews and safety checks for boaters:
Consider doing the following to engage boaters and to keep your marina and water clean:

  • Expand your business by offering environmental reviews.
  • Inspect engines, bilges, fuel systems, and holding tanks.
  • Provide oil-absorbent pads, bilge pillows or socks, air-fuel separators, etc.
  • Work with Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron to offer vessel safety checks.

Hosting a workshop on clean boating practices:
Arrange a workshop on green boating practices; include a walking tour of the facility to demonstrate best management practices. Invite boaters, the community, and media.

Giving recognition to model boaters:
Use public relations and customer recognition to demonstrate and promote best management practices, including publicly recognizing boaters who are making an effort to control pollution.

Publicizing your good deeds:
Work with your state’s Clean Marina program to spread the word about what you are doing at your marina to help protect the environment and water quality. Link up with local media via press releases; participate in events like National Marina Day.

Become a certified Clean Marina:
By joining this course, you are already on your way! Working through the Classroom and implementing best management practices are significant steps on the road to certification, however, making sure you follow through on obtaining official certification is important.