Over the last few years the number of boats on our lakes and rivers as well as the power and capacity of those boats has been increasing dramatically. This has led to an increase in boating related injuries, conflicts among different user groups, and negative impacts to shoreline and lake sediments. In partnership with MN COLA, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the Marine Retailers Association of America (MRAA), and Tonka Bay Marinas MLR will be advancing a required watercraft operator’s training and certification program. MN is one of just a few states with out such a requirement. MLR is advocating that the boater training include not only basic boating safety and navigation, but a deep dive into preventing AIS spread and lake ecology and the importance of protecting shoreline and preventing disturbance of lake sediments. We know that you will have many questions, and so the groups involved have prepared a one page document on the effort.
Download this pdf here.