[OSMB-News] News Release -New 2010 boater fees fund aquatic invasive species prevention

[Ashley Massey]

For Immediate Release	Date: Monday, November 23, 2009

New 2010 boater fees fund aquatic invasive species prevention

Oregon boaters will soon be on the front lines of a war against aquatic
invasive species. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, operators of all registered
boats (power and sail) and manually powered boats 10 feet or longer are
required by a new law to purchase an Aquatic Invasive Species Permit to
fund prevention and control programs.  

The environmental protection law, created by the 2009 Oregon
Legislature, is designed to protect Oregon's waters from destructive
invaders including the quagga and zebra mussels that are rapidly
spreading across the nation degrading water quality, depleting native
fish and waterfowl populations and costing millions of dollars in
maintenance of water and power facilities. The new program will be
implemented by the Oregon State Marine Board and the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife. 

New Fees
§	Registered boaters will pay an automatic $5 surcharge as part of
their boater registration. 
§	Out-of-state motorboat operators need to purchase an annual
permit for $22 ($20 permit plus $2 agent fee) through ODFW license
agents, ODFW offices that sell licenses and on the ODFW Web site.
Out-of-state permits will not be sold through boat registration agents
or the Oregon State Marine Board.
§	Non-motorized boat operators (canoes, kayaks, sailboats, drift
boats, etc.) will need to purchase and carry an annual permit. Permits
can be purchased starting Dec.1 at ODFW license agents, ODFW offices
that sell licenses and on the ODFW Web site for a cost of $7 ($5 permit
plus $2 agent fee). Permits are required for both residents and
nonresidents and are transferable to other non-motorized craft, but
every vessel on the water must have a permit. 
§	Guides, outfitters, livery operations and boating clubs should
purchase their permits directly from the Oregon State Marine Board.
	
	
The Oregon State Marine Board and the Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife are implementing the new Aquatic Invasive Species Program,
which will include education outreach, voluntary boat inspections and
decontamination of infected boats to stop the introduction and spread of
aquatic invasive species.

For information about the new Aquatic Invasive Species Program, visit
www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/programs/09LawsFAQs.shtml.  To purchase
permits online, visit ODFW’s Web site,
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/online_license_sales/index.asp 
###

ODFW Communications Coordinator: Meg Kenagy	
Phone: (503) 947-6021



Ashley A. Massey
Public Information Officer
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us
www.boatoregon.com
www.twitter.com/marineboard

"Clean, Drain and Dry your boat to prevent the spread of aquatic
nuisance species."