Marine Safety 
And
       Environmental Protection

Clean Boating Starts Here!

The quality of the Venice surface waters can be degraded by boat sewage, gray water, cleaning products, spilled fuel, marine debris, trash and the introduction of exotic organisms. This not only degrades our environment, but also hinders the enjoyment of the Venice’s recreational areas. Government alone cannot protect our environment. It requires each one of us being aware and sharing the responsibility of pollution. Sometimes it is as simple as doing things a little differently. We hope that this presentation will help you to becoming aware of some of the things that you as a boater can do.

You can help in a number of ways. More importantly though, you have to care. Take a stand against marine pollution because it is your environment too! Let other people know what impact pollution has on the marine environment. Many people do not understand that a plastic bag they dropped overboard may one day kill a turtle. They may think twice about doing it the next time, and you nay have just been responsible for saving an animals life. The Coast Guard and the various state environmental protection agencies want to hear about people dumping trash and oil in the water. If you see this happen take down some of the basic information and, call and make a report. The last page of this handout is a, "Citizens Report Form", to help you get that information.  

 

NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO  -  BUT BECAUSE YOU CARE! 

 

Clean Boating Tip Sheet  

Petroleum Control


Petroleum in or on the water is harmful and, in some cases, fatal to aquatic life. Floating petroleum is particularly bad  because it reduces light pen­etration and the exchange of oxygen at the water's surface, Floating oil also contaminates the micro layer. The micro layer refers to the uppermost portion of the water column. It is home to thousands of species of plants, animals, and microbes. Ninety-nine percent of the blue crab larvae feed in the micro layer, which also serves as a nursery ground for fish. The abun­dance of life in the micro layer attracts predators: seabirds from above and fish from below. Pollution in the micro layer; thus, has the potential to poison much of the aquatic food web.

The Law

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (also called the Clean Water Act) prohibits the discharge of oil or oily waste into or upon the navigable waters of the United States or the waters of the contiguous zone if such discharge causes a film or sheen upon, or discol­oration of, the surface of the water, or causes a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the water. Violators are subject to a penalty of $5,000 from the U.S. Coast Guard. State law also prohibits the discharge of oil. The Florida Department of the Environment may impose additional fines.

Fueling Practices

Gas or diesel may be spilled during the act of fueling: as back splash out of the fuel intake or as overflow out of the vent fitting. Spills of this sort harm aquatic life, waste money and can result in stains on the hull and damage to the gel coat and striping. Follow these tips to avoid problems:

·   Fill tanks to no more than 90 percent capacity. Gas that is drawn from cool storage tanks will expand as it warms up onboard your vessel

·   To determine when the tank is 90 percent full, listen to the filler pipe, use a sound­ing stick, and be aware of your tanks volume.

·   Rather than filling your tank upon your return to port, wait and fill it just before leaving on your next trip. This practice will reduce spills due to thermal expan­sion because the fuel will be used before it has a chance to warm up.
·   Fill portable tanks ashore where spills are less likely to occur and easier to clean up.
·   Use oil absorbent pads to catch all drips. Slow down at the beginning and end of fueling.

Bilge Maintenance 

Engine oil tends to accumulate in bilges. If no precautions are taken, the oil is pumped over­board along with the bilge water Discharging oily water is illegal. To avoid fines and to protect water quality, follow these tips:

Keep your engine well tuned to minimize the amount of oil that is released. Be sure there are no leaking seals, gaskets, or hoses.

·   Place oil absorbent materials or a bioremediating bilge boom in the bilge.
·   Place an oil absorbent pad under the engine.
·   Replace oil absorbent materials regularly.
·   Do not treat oily water with detergents. Soaps pollute and make clean up impossible. You may be fined up to S25,000 for using soaps to dissipate oil. ·  Look for contractors or marinas that offer a bilge pump out service.

Disposal of Oil Absorbent Materials

The disposal of used oil absor­bent material depends on what type of product it is and how it was used:
·   Standard absorbents that are saturated with gasoline may be air dried and reused.
·   Standard absorbents satu­rated with oil or diesel may be wrung out over oil recy­cling bins (if they are saturated with oil or diesel only!) and reused. Alternatively, they should be double bagged with one plastic bag sealed inside of another and tossed in your regular trash.
·   Bioremediating bilge booms may be disposed in your regular trash as long as they are not dripping any liquid. Because the microbes need oxygen to function, do not seal them in plastic bags.

Emissions Control

Marine engines-especially 2-stroke outboard motors-produce the highest average level of hydrocarbon exhaust emissions after lawn and garden equipment Hydrocar­bon emissions contribute to ground level ozone, a known health risk. Follow these tips to help your engine operate as efficiently as possible:
·   Use the gas to oil ratio recommended by the engine manufacturer. Too much oil can foul spark plugs and to little can lead to increased engine wear or even failure.
·   Use premium two-cycle engine oil (TC-W3 or TC­W4). Premium oils improve engine performance and reduce pollution because they burn cleaner; contain more detergents, and prevent formation of carbon deposits.
·   Use gasoline with the octane level recommended by the engine manufacturer.


Preventive Equipment

Products are available commer­cially which can help you prevent spills and reduce emissions:
·   Install a fuel/air separator along your vent line. These devices allow air, but not fuel, to escape through a vent opening.
·   Attach a safety nozzle to portable gas cans used to fill outboard engines. These
nozzles automatically stop the flow of fuel when the receiving tank is full. To prevent oily bilge water from being discharged, install a bilge pump switch that leaves an inch or two of water in the bilge. Alterna­tively connect a bilge water filter to your vessel's bilge pump. Filters will remove oil, fuel, and other petro­leum hydrocarbons from the water.
When it is time to buy a new engine, select a fuel efficient, low emission model.

In Case of a Spill

· Stop the flow.

     · Contain the spill.

· Contact the local Coast Guard Station on VHF Channel 16
·   Call the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center at

(800) 424-8802.

Vessel Sewage      

Is Sewage a Problem? 

Raw or poorly treated boat sewage is harmful to human health and water quality. Typhoid, hepatitis, cholera,     gastroenteritis, and other waterborne diseases may be passed directly to people who swim in 
contaminated waters. People may also become infected by eating shellfish contaminated with viruses 
 and other micro­organisms contained in sewage discharge.

 Sewage is also harmful to water quality. Because the microorganisms within sewage need oxygen, any 
 effluent discharged to water­ways reduces the amount of oxygen available to fish and other forms of 
 aquatic life; Furthermore, the heavy nutrient load in sewage promotes excessive algae growth. As the 
 algae multi­ply, they prevent life-giving sunlight from reaching subsurface vegetation. When the algae
 die they create another problem; the algae are decomposed by bacteria which further reduce levels of 
 dissolved oxygen. 
     
                            What Does the Law Say?

According to Federal and State law, it is illegal to discharge raw sewage.       All vessels with installed toilets must have a Marine Sanitation Device     (MSD):    ·Type I systems mechani­cally cut solids and disin­fect waste. They must      bear  U.S. Coast Guard certification label.     ·Type II Systems are similar to Type I systems. The difference is that                Type II treats sewage to a higher standard and generally require more space     and energy. Type II systems must  also have a Coast Guard certification label.     · Type Ill systems do not discharge sewage. Hold­ing tanks are the most common Type III      system.     Incinerating systems are another option. A Coast Guard label is not required.    Vessels 65 feet and under may have any of these three types of MSDs.     Vessels over 65 feet  must have a  II

 

What Can You Do?

   Holding Tanks 

Install a holding tank. A free booklet explaining how to how to retrofit a boat to include a holding tank is available from the Department of Natural Resources at  
(410) 260-8870.

            Use good plumbing to control holding tank odor. Fiberglass and metal tanks are highly resistant to per­meation. Specially labeled flexible "sanitation hoses" and PVC piping are also highly impermeable.
Hose runs should be as short and as straight as possible. Wherever practical engine manufacturer. Use rigid pipe below the level of the holding tank and in other areas where sewage will accumulate. Keep the number f connections to a minimum and insure that seals are tight  Use enzyme-based products in your holding tank to further control odor. Enzy­matic products use biologi­cal processes, rather than harsh chemicals, to break
own sewage. Be sure to pump and rinse your hold­ing tank prior to initial use of an enzyme product if you
have used chemical-based odor control additives in the past Chemical residues  may interfere with the effective­ness of enzyme-based products. Avoid holding tank products that contain quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) and formaldehyde. These products may disrupt sewage treatment plants.

Type I and II MSDs

Maintain your Type I and II MSD. Establish a regular maintenance schedule based on your owner's 
manual to remind yourself when chemicals need to be added, electrodes need to be cleaned, etc.
  Do not discharge your Type I or II MSD while in a marina, in a swimming area, over an oyster bar,
 or in a poorly flushed area. Effluent from legal Type I and Type II systems contains nutrients 
and possibly toxic chemi­cals. It may contain pathogens as well.

Use shore side restrooms when in port
       Grey Water 

Grey water is the discharge of the water from sinks and showers that are generally piped directly overboard.  without treatment

Limit the amount of water you use.

Use low or non-phosphate soaps.

Use on shore public washrooms and showers whenever possible.  

 
                                                                        

 

                                   

   NOT BECAUSE YOU  HAVE  TO....  BUT BECAUSE YOU CARE! 

Waste Containment and Disposal       

Trash is ugly and may be hazardous-dangerous to humans and to wildlife. For example, plastic may snare propellers and choke sea turtles. Congress passed a law in 1987 to protect our waterways from garbage. The Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act (Title II of Public Law 100-220) regulates the disposal of garbage at sea according to how far a vessel is from shore:
·    Within U.S. lakes, rivers, bays, sounds, and within 3 nautical miles from the ocean shore, (9 miles for    Gulf  of Mexico) it is illegal to dump anything other than fish guts.·
Between 3 and 12 nautical miles from shore, it is illegal to dump plastic and any other garbage that is greater than one inch in size.
·    Between 12 and 25 nautical miles from shore, it is illegal to dump plastic and dun­nage, i.e., lining and packing material, nets, lines, etc.
·Beyond 25 nautical miles, it is illegal to dump plastic.

Meeting the law is easy. Just follow these tips!

Contain Trash
·     Don't let trash get thrown or blown overboard.
·    If trash blows overboard, retrieve it. Consider it, "crew overboard ", and practice.
·    Pack food in reusable con­tainers.
·    Buy products without plastic or excessive packaging.
      Don't toss cigarette butts overboard. They are made of plastic (cellulose acetate).
·    Purchase refreshments in recyclable containers and recycle them.
·    Properly dispose of all trash on-shore, e.g.₁ bring home or leave in a Dumpster at the marina.

Recycle

Recycle cans, glass, newspa­per, antifreeze, oil, oil filters, and lead batteries.
·    Call 1-800-4-RECYCLE for locations.
·    Bring used monofilament fishing line to recycling bins at your tackle shop or marina.

 Fish Scraps 

 For safety reasons, marinas are often located in sheltered areas-areas that will protect boats from wind and waves during a  Storm. The same features that protect boat during a storm, however, also limit the exchange of water. Poor exchange, or flushing, means that any waste that is discharged into the water may stay in the same general area for an extended length of time. 
Fish cleaning may pose a problem if the guts are dis­carded into a poorly flushed marina basin. Fish waste is smelly and unsightly also life-sustaining oxygen is removed from the water column as bacteria decompose the in­nards. Avoid problems by following these tips.
·    Do not discard fish waste in poorly flushed areas.
Find out what your marina's disposal policy is.
·    Bag waste and dispose at home or in a dumpster.
·    Dispose over deep water

 Maintenance Waste

Dispose of the following items according to the recommendations listed below. Cal! 1-800-4-RECYCLE for recycling center locations
                                                                                                                             

DISPOSAL METHODS

 

Continued on next page

 

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Page last revised on - 05/07/2008