Talk about over-the-top government restrictions. NOAA’S proposed speed restriction rule to protect Nort Atlantic right whales could decimate boating, and it’s something every dealer and all dealership personnel must weigh in on.

You’ve likely seen that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed expanding its North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule to limit the speed of recreational boats 35 feet and larger to 10 knots in areas up to 90 miles off the Eastern Seaboard.

Such a restriction would severely limit access to the Atlantic for a good portion of the year, putting lives at risk, as smaller boats cannot safely travel at slow speeds on the ocean.

The rule was developed without any input from the recreational boating industry. Moreover, the rule ignores existing and emerging technologies that could be deployed to reduce vessel strikes, saving marine mammals and not endangering boaters.

Regardless of whether your dealership is on the Atlantic coast, speaking out against unjustified regulations is important to the entire industry, and we make our voices heard.

If you haven’t already done so, tell your members of Congress to urge the Biden administration and NOAA to withdraw this rule. NOAA should engage with the industry to develop and implement balanced, technology-focused solutions that protect marine life, boaters and our industry, which supports 812,000 jobs and 36,000 small businesses.

Click here to make your voice heard.

NMTC Sets Agenda

The agenda for the 2024 Conference of the National Marine Trades Council in Stillwater, Minnesota has been set. The conference is scheduled for July 22-25.

The NMTC is composed of leaders from local and state marine trades associations around the country. Attendees address and share a variety of industry issues and programs, many of which can be adapted for other parts of the country. The agenda includes:

• workforce initiatives and action items: reports and national initiative updates

• boat show discussions: roundtable reports and exploration of show features, promotions and attendance-drivers

• the impact of AI: an MRAA overview and guest speaker examining how artificial intelligence can help associations and their members

• legislative updates

• profit center ideas for associations

• the future of the industry, as related to expected mergers and acquisitions

• association roundtable discussions and idea-sharing

The conference committee includes co-Chairs Randall Lyons (Massachusetts Marine Trades Association) and Lori Wheeler (Marine Industries Association of South Florida). Other committee members include Melissa Danko (Marine Trades Association of New Jersey), Nicki Polan (Michigan Boating Industry Association), and Matt Gruhn )Marine Retailers Association of the Americas).

The conference will be headquartered at the Hotel Crosby. Sponsors include ABYC, Ad Strategies, BoatUS, Informa Markets, MIASF, MTA/NJ, MMTA, MBIA, NMMA/Discover Boating, Yamaha Marine, and MRAA as host location.

Contact Randall Lyons at [email protected] for registration information.