The responsibility to Long Island's environment, especially its waters, has been a major commitment of the AMI since it's start over twenty-five years ago. Members of the AMI have advocated for years for clean boating through efforts coordinated with the NY Seagrant and the EPA.
The following information is offered to provide additional sources of information concerning clean boating and Long Island environmental issues.
- Become environmentally active - Understand how clean water and a healthy environment help us all to enjoy better boating, swimming and fishing. Decide to be part of the solution, not the problem.
- Know your environment - Read about and observe the diversity of nature around you: marsh, beach, shellfish, fish, birds, bottom life. Become familiar with the environment regulations of your state and marina, boatyard or yacht.
- Know your boat - Find every source of potential pollution from your boat, and understand that each is quite easy to control. Common types of pollution include: engine oil drips into the bilge, trash tossed or blown overboard, fuel squirts out of the fuel tank vent, or overflows when topping off.
- Prevent boat pollution from happening - It is always easier to prevent problems than to clean them up. Make a list of pollutants you can control, and what will be done. It may be helpful to post the list for your crew and guests to read. A briefing by the captain, before casting off, is the simplest, cheapest and most effective way to prevent boat pollution.
- Litter control - Have trash and recycling bags handy. Bring back what you take out. Recycle as much as possible. Trash and litter spoil boating for everyone, so urge other boats to also pick it up and bring it back. Ask smokers to put butts in ashtrays, not to flick them overboard. Speak out when someone forgets; ask them to pick up whatever they tossed, even if it means coming about and retrieving a drifting sandwich bag.
- Fuel and oil spills - Install a fuel/air separator on your boat's vent line of the built-in fuel tank. Keep an inexpensive petroleum absorption pad/pillow tied down in the bilge to catch any oil drops. When a small fuel spill happens, sop it up with an absorption pad; if gasoline, as a safety measure, let the pad air out on deck until dry. Recycle all used engine oil and antifreeze/coolant.
- Sewage - No one's favorite subject, but it still needs control. If you use a portable toilet, take it ashore and empty it into a toilet or a special portable toilet dump station in the marina. If your toilet is a MSD Type I or II flow-through treatment type, keep it working properly. If it is a holding tank MSD Type III, pump it out regularly, but never overboard; Y valves can only legally be used on salt water if beyond three miles offshore - never on fresh water.
- Boat cleaning - Use minimal amounts of chemical cleaners. Buy only those rated as "green", or biodegradable; avoid cleaners with dangerous warnings about skin or eye contact. Whenever sanding tops or bottoms, don't let the chips and dust fall on the ground to be eventually washed into the water; rent a dustless sander for a faster, cleaner job.
- Help clean dirty waterways and shores - Look around the marina and where you like to go boating. Tell the marina manager about any problems you observe. Can you do something to clean and improve the environment? Is there litter that can be picked up, or problems which need the attention of others? Invite other boaters to help you clean up a shore or beach.
- Tell others how boating waters are getting cleaner - Yes, they really are cleaner in most places in America. But this only happens when we take responsibility for our share of pollution. Talk with other boaters about the importance of clean boating.
Clete Galass and Alex Gregor
All marine waters south of the George Washington Bridge- one fish per day; 28 inch min. size; season of May 8-December 15. Hudson River north of George Washington Bridge- one fish per day; 18 inch min. size; season of March 16- November 30.
Bluefish:
No size limit; ten fish per day (includes snappers).
Fluke:
To be determined before the season opens.
Flounder:
Eleven inch min. size, limit 15 fish per day; Open season in all marine waters as follows: Third Saturday in March to June 30 and September 15- November 30.
Weakfish:
Six fish per day; 16 inch min. size.
Black Fish:
14 inch minimum size, limit 10 fish per day.
Pollock:
19 inch minimum size limit.
Cod:
19 inch minimum size limit/state waters
Cod:
21 inch minimum size limit/federal waters
Sea Bass:
10 inch minimum length.
Porgy:
7 inch minimum length.
NOTE: All measurements are total length.
For updated info concerning marine recreational fishing regulations, call 800.REGS.DEC
| An estuary is a partly enclosed body of water, with an opening to the sea, where fresh and salt water mix. Long Island is bordered by the South shore Estuary, the Peconic Estuary, and the Long Island Sound Estuary. Marine Recreation in Long Islands Estuaries.
Pollution from non-point sources, such as storm water runoff or ground water, or point sources, such as factories or sewage discharge pipes, have been shown to contribute greater that 90% of all pollutants in Long Island Sound Estuary. While the impact of a single boat on a body of water is insignificant, multiple boats in limited areas may have the possibility of impacting water quality. The Association of Marine Industries (AMI) and Long Island's Estuary Programs are working to educate boaters to assist them in preserving the best of both worlds - enjoying the experiences of boating while helping to safeguard the quality of these beautiful environments. Boater's: Know Your MSD! Boaters with vessels over 26 feet typically have one of three types of Marine Sanitation Devices (MDS): Type I & Type II devices use a variety of methods to treat sewage. These devices use electric currents, chlorine, or other chemicals to further disinfect the treated, ground sewage and then discharge. While boats with Type II devices can discharge treated sewage within the Federally recognized three mile limit at this time, they are not able to do so in designated No-Discharge Zones. Thus, it is highly recommended to convert a Type II into a Type III head with deck fitting for pumpout. Type III MSDs are designed to prevent the discharge from your vessel. These devices allow waste to be held on holding tanks and then removed at pump out stations onshore or by a pumpout boat. The Type III MSD is recommended in an estuary. Pumpout Stations No-Discharge Zones What does a No-Discharge Zone mean to boaters?
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| Peconic Estuary Program Office Vito Minei, Office of Ecology, County Center Riverhead, NY 11901 (516)852-2077 |
The Association for Marine Industries Ed Kilgus PO Box 682 Port Jefferson, NY 11777-0682 (631) 828-6145 |
| NYS-DEC Bureau of Marine Resources Karen Chytalo 205 North Belle Meade Road, Ste. 1 East Setauket, NY 11733-3400 (516)444-0468 |
New York Sea Grant Jay Tanski 146 Suffolk, Hall, SUNY at Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11794-5002 (516)632-8730 |
The Peconic watershed is comprised of the five East End Townships - Southampton, East Hampton, Shelter Island, Southold and Riverhead (with a bit of Brookhaven Town, around the headwaters of the Peconic River, thrown in as well). Although only 100 miles away from New York City, the time warp as you enter the Peconic region takes you 100 years back in time! One of the last vestiges of small town living in the metropolitan area, the East End is a place suspended in time, where our fishing and farming heritage is still our present day reality.
As you enter these magical waters and terrain we know you'll come to a greater clarity as to why we East Enders are so protective of our natural resources. You'll begin to understand why we devote years of our lives to ensure that the vibrancy, productivity and beauty of our homelands and waters are preserved for all eternity and the generations to come. You too will experience that feeling of awe and ownership as you experience, first hand, the majesty of the Peconics.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE PECONICS is a culmination of some of the things we users of the estuary system can do to not only protect but to ENJOY this magnificent resource.
Welcome to the Peconic Estuary!
Welcome to Paradise!!
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Additional environmental links:
The Clean Marina Program
A voluntary, incentive-based program promoted by NOAA, AMI and others. This website has information for marina operators and recreational boaters to educate in the protection of coastal water quality and to promote clean boating.
Sea Grant Link
The New York Sea Grant (NYSG)is a statewide network of integrated research, education, and extension services promoting the wise use and protection of marine and Great Lakes resources.
Boating and Marina Best Management Practices
Best Management Practices, or BMPs, are buzzwords being used more and more when people are talking about environmental protection and water quality. This is just one of many links available through the Sea Grant site containing a vast source of information.
No Discharge Zone
Laws, tips and other information avaiable toward the disposal of sewage. Without proper consideration, this is harmful to human
health and water quality and could gravely effect
infect people who swim in such contaminated waters.
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