Marina operators, boaters, and other Great Lakes residents are invited to learn about best practices for preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) during a Clean Marina Webinar on Nov. 7 from 2-3:30 p.m. EST.
This is the third webinar in a series of workshops led by Sea Grant programs in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin as part of the Green Marina Education and Outreach project, an effort to support Clean Marina programs in the Great Lakes region.
Attending the webinar is free, but you have to pre-register by Nov. 6. (Pre-register here.) Once registered, you'll receive a confirmation email with login information.
Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions of Sea Grant specialists from across the Great Lakes via a live chat after the presentation. The webinar will be moderated by Sarah Orlando, Extension educator and Clean Marina and limnology outreach coordinator for Ohio Sea Grant.
Aquatic invasive species can be transported as a result of human activities, such as the release of ballast water from ships and the improper disposal of bait; transfer from boats, trailers, and fishing equipment; or by boat wash wastewater that enters waterways when boaters remove invasive plants and animals.
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Attendees will learn about the potential environmental impacts and appropriate management of boat cleaning for AIS, best practices for reducing transport and managing reporting of AIS at marinas and boatyards, state requirements within the Great Lakes region, online resources for marinas and boaters, and how to engage boaters in the prevention of AIS.
Clean Marina programs are part of a national initiative to engage marinas and boatyards in voluntary management practices that improve water quality, reduce environmental risk to people and aquatic life, and protect the water resources that sustain the boating industry. Information on Ohio's Clean Marina program is available here.
The Green Marina Education and Outreach project is a strategic collaboration between the Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs to support Clean Marina education and outreach efforts across the Great Lakes states. The project is supported by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Learn more here.
-- Christina Dierkes, Ohio Sea Grant Communications