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COUNCIL ACTS ON REGISTRATION AND
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
December 5, 2006
Contact: Willie Puz, (850) 528-4428 cell
Key Largo – The Boating Advisory Council
(BAC) voted today against taking a recommendation to the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requiring the
registration of nonmotorized vessels. The BAC considered the
work of the Nonmotorized Vessel Subcommittee and public comment,
and voted 9-5 against registering nonmotorized vessels.
As this action is not going before the
Commission, there are no plans to pursue this issue further at
this time.
In other action, the BAC reinforced its position
supporting the importance of appropriate boating education for
all boater operators regardless of vessel type. As a result, the
BAC requested more detail on mandatory boating education for all
boaters.
At the next BAC meeting in Tallahassee in April,
FWC staff will report on possible nonmotorized vessel boating
education options based on the varying types of nonmotorized
vessels. The types of nonmotorized vessels include, but are not
limited, to any of a variety of rowboats, nonmotorized sailboats
and paddlecraft, and exclude watertoys, such as air mattresses
or inner tubes, to name a few.
Current boater education laws pertain only to
people who operate motorized vessels – those 21 years and
younger are required to pass an approved boating safety course
to operate a vessel with a 10 horsepower engine or greater. As a
result, FWC staff will look at the boating laws now in place and
possible enhancements that would incorporate nonmotorized vessel
safety education requirements. In addition, the FWC will assess
options for providing better education information to liveries
that rent or lease nonmotorized vessels.
For more information on the Boating Advisory
Council, go to
MyFWC.com/law/council.
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