PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) was recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for offering the nation’s first paddlesports class that meets the national standard for ”On-Water Recreational Boating Skills – Human Propelled.” AZGFD’s “Paddlesports Arizona” course teaches fundamental paddlecraft skills that entry-level recreational boaters should be able to demonstrate after receiving instruction.

In addition to conserving and protecting wildlife and enforcing hunting, fishing and off-highway vehicle laws, Arizona Game and Fish is responsible for registering Arizona watercraft, enforcing boating safety laws and educating the public on safe boating practices.

“Paddlesports Arizona” is the first human-propelled boating course in the U.S. to receive this voluntary third-party verification. According to AZGFD Education Branch Chief Kellie Tharp, paddlesports such as canoeing, paddleboarding and kayaking are growing rapidly in Arizona.

“As paddlesports become more popular on Arizona waterways, the need to educate people on safe operation has become a priority for our department,” said Tharp. “Boating Safety Education Program Manager Kim Jackson and Boating Safety Education Coordinator Josh Hoffman are to be commended for creating a curriculum that meets ANSI’s stringent national standards.”

To see a schedule of free Arizona Game and Fish Department paddlesports classes, visit https://register-ed.com/programs/arizona/17. For more information, contact the Boating Education program at 623-236-7258 or visit www.azgfd.gov/boating.

Under funding provided by a U.S. Coast Guard grant, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators awarded AZGFD with a uniquely-numbered “Verified Course” mark indicating “The content of this course conforms to the American National Standard for on-water skills as verified through an independent third-party assessment process.” For more information about the process, please visit the Verified Course page on the NASBLA website.

PHOENIX — The calendar says winter is weeks away, but the thermometer says otherwise. For that reason the Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds undeterred paddlesport enthusiasts to practice coldwater safety when heading on the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard reports that cold water immersion and hypothermia can occur in water as cool as 70 degrees. Even in a healthy person, cold-water immersion can impact muscle movement, breathing and heart rate. Prolonged exposure to the water can lead to hypothermia, cardiac arrest and death.

“Cold water immersion can be deadly so every second you’re in the water is a race against the clock,” said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “That is why it’s critical to make sure you are prepared for the worst, before heading out on the water by making sure you’re properly dressed and always wearing a life jacket. It’s really the simplest thing you can do to save your own life and return home safely.”

Whether enjoying Arizona’s waters from a paddleboard, kayak, canoe or boat, life jackets are an important part of boating safety. They help to keep a person’s head above water and body on the surface. While life jackets are required for those 12 years old and younger, wearing a life jacket is a simple step that could be lifesaving for persons of any age.

If you do fall overboard, stay calm, move slowly and don’t try to take off clothing while in the water. And if the boat has capsized, it most likely will not sink and can be used as a platform. It’s advised that boaters stay on top of the capsized vessel or paddleboard as much as possible in order to stay out of the water.
Survival may also depend on how well you’re dressed to cope with cold water.

The National Center for Cold Water Safety and the National Safe Boating Council recommend:

Wearing thermal protection like a wetsuit or drysuit so that you don’t experience cold shock. Wearing enough protection to keep you functioning if you have to swim or get towed to shore, and if you can’t get to shore, enough protection to keep you alive long enough to be rescued.
Wearing a float coat provides the comfortable fit and warmth of an insulated jacket, while also providing the functionality of a life jacket. A float coat does not provide hypothermia protection or replace anti-exposure coveralls or a dry suit. Be sure to check that it’s U.S. Coast Guard-approved.
A dry suit, or anti-exposure coveralls, keeps the boater dry and protects him or her from hypothermia. It’s worn over proper clothing layers. Boaters should try it on with their clothing layers to ensure they still have needed mobility for the boating activity.
Carry at least two communication devices that will work when wet, such as a VHF FM-DSC marine band radio and an emergency position-indicating radio beacon or personal locator beacon.
Keep emergency spare blankets on board in case someone is suffering from hypothermia symptoms.

Boaters also can brush up on their knowledge by taking one of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s free education courses at www.azgfd.gov/boating and clicking “Boating Safety Education.”

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds boaters to “clean, drain and dry” – and especially decontaminate — their watercraft and equipment before exiting waters designated as having aquatic invasive species (AIS).This reminder is especially important for out-of-town visitors who moor their boats at AIS-affected waters and are preparing to head out of state.

Boaters are required to comply with all AIS regulations of the respective states where they are traveling, as well as those of their final destination. Many states require that watercraft must stop for inspection, which may include both motorized and non-motorized boats. If you see signs that indicate that an inspection station is open, please stop and have your watercraft inspected by the state you in which you are traveling.

To ensure a smooth process at inspection stations while traveling home, AZGFD has authorized providers that perform free inspection and decontaminations for those with boats that have been on a quagga mussel-infested waters. Call the Arizona Game and Fish AIS Program two to three weeks in advance of departure to schedule a free inspection and decontamination at (623) 236-7608.

“As outdoor enthusiasts, it is our responsibility to be stewards of the places that we love,” AZGFD Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator Erin Raney said. “Stopping the spread of AIS is a big job, but with everyone pitching in, we can all do our part to protect our waters.”

Aquatic Invasive Species are non-native species that are often unintentionally introduced by human movement. They do not have predators outside of their native range, and are able to outcompete native species. These animals, plants and even pathogens that cause disease in native fish or other aquatic animals can often be invisible to the naked eye, making them even more difficult to control. Once introduced, they can alter ecosystems.

Stop the spread of AIS and keep our waters clean and beautiful for ourselves and future generations. Under Arizona law, boaters and all recreationists who take watercraft and other equipment out of waters designated as having aquatic invasive species must use the steps below when leaving a listed water. Remember to:

• Clean boats, waders, anchors, equipment and gear by removing mud, plants, attached animals such as snails.
• Drain all residual water from engines and motors, ballast tanks, live wells and bait wells. Pull your bilge plug and leave out during transport. Store with boat keys or in a location where you will remember before launch.
• Dry all equipment that comes in contact with water, such as life jackets, ropes, buoys, tubes, etc.

There are additional steps to complete for watercraft that have been on AIS-listed waters for six or more consecutive days.

See more information on all statewide decontamination requirements, how to schedule a no-fee decontamination, and the Director’s Orders lists of aquatic invasive species and waters.

For interstate travel, be sure to contact your local state AIS authorities for any additional questions on local regulation compliance.

PHOENIX — Nearly 850 life jackets have been exchanged so far this year, but that number will ramp up after the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) holds five more events in August. 2018 is the 10-year anniversary of the life jacket exchange program, and AZGFD is aiming to exchange a record-setting 1,700 life jackets this year.

Anyone who has an old, worn-out or improperly fitting life jacket is welcome to exchange it for a new one in the appropriate size during the events. Type I and Type II life jackets will not be accepted.

The public is invited to join AZGFD and its partner organizations at the following life jacket exchange events:

• Bullhead City at BCFD Fire Station #2 (1230 Highway 95) on August 4 from 9 a.m. to noon
• Lake Pleasant at the 4 Lane boat ramp and the 10 Lane boat ramp August 4 from 10 a.m. to noon
• Lake Havasu at Site Six on August 25 from 10 a.m. to noon
• Yuma at Martinez Lake on August 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

“In addition to exchanging more life jackets than ever before, this year we have been excited to hold the events in new locations throughout Arizona,” said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for AZGFD. “This will be our first life jacket exchange in Yuma, and it’s a great opportunity to allow as many Arizonans as possible to ensure they have a new life jacket that fits properly.”

State law requires all passengers 12 years old and younger to wear a life jacket while on board and each passenger must have a properly fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket available.

Another important aspect of safe boating is understanding the laws and regulations for cruising around Arizona’s waterways. AZGFD offers free in-person courses for both boaters and paddlers to ensure that all of Arizona’s residents have access to instruction on the basic skills required to safely and legally operate their boat.

For more information about boating in Arizona or to sign up for a free safety course, visit azgfd.gov/boating.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department anticipates offering up to $500,000 in federal grant money to enhance and improve public boating facilities at Arizona lakes and waterways over the next two years.

“If you enjoy boating on Arizona waters, this money is specifically for improving that kind of recreation,” said Ron Christofferson, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s boating facilities program manager. “The department makes grant funds available to applicants who wish to complete boating facility projects that otherwise might not receive funding. This is the opportunity to apply for these grants.”

The funds are anticipated to be available during the next two state fiscal years both through the Clean Vessel Act and the Boating Infrastructure Grant. These federal programs focus on pumpout facilities for onboard restrooms, as well as public boating facilities specifically intended to accommodate watercraft over 26 feet in length. Funding for the grants is provided by federal taxes on the sale of equipment related to fishing and boating, and on motorboat fuel.

Many such projects have been completed in Arizona over the past decade, including new courtesy docks, pumpout stations, pumpout boats and marine fueling stations. Such improvements have previously been funded at Canyon and Bartlett lakes, as well as Lake Pleasant, Lake Havasu and Lake Powell.

“This is an outstanding example of a program where the people who pay fees and taxes directly benefit from the grant funding,” Christofferson said. “In this case, anglers and boaters pay federal taxes on fishing tackle, equipment and motorboat fuel. Then this money is allocated annually back to each state to support projects anglers and boaters can enjoy.”

Agencies, marinas and individuals eligible for the grant money are those with legal ownership or control of public boating facilities on any Arizona public waterway where boats are allowed to operate gas motors without horsepower restrictions.

Grant funds are awarded through a competitive application process, and applications are reviewed and judged on the basis of priorities, project feasibility and overall merit as they relate to the current needs of the boating public. No state funding is currently available through these programs.

Grant applications must be received at the department’s Phoenix headquarters no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 2, 2018.

For more information on how to apply for the grants, visit the department’s boating facilities webpage at www.azgfd.gov/boatingfacilities.

PHOENIX – While no one anticipates that their day on the water will be cut short by an accident, all boaters should prepare for the unexpected and know what to do in the event of an incident.

If you are in a collision or accident while on one of the state’s waterways, Arizona law requires you to:

• stop and render aid at the scene of the accident;
• help those that have been injured and provide any assistance necessary unless doing so would endanger additional passengers or boats; and
• exchange names, addresses, contact information and the boats’ identifying numbers with anyone injured in the accident and/or the owner of any property that was damaged.

If it’s an emergency, call 911 if cellphone service is available. When preparing for an outing, boaters should take note of which law enforcement agency has jurisdiction on the waterway in order to call for assistance if needed. In addition, the National Safe Boating Council recommends that boaters carry at least two communication devices that will work when wet. For example, an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) and personal locator beacon (PLB) both transmit a coded message to the nearest rescue coordination center.
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PHOENIX — Are you a non-resident boater in Arizona? It’s time to schedule your free watercraft inspections and decontaminations before heading home.

Arizona is an incredible place to boat our vast desert impoundments and waterways surrounded by majestic red rock canyons – especially during our mild winters. After a season of adventure, avoid fines, quarantines, and even impoundments while traveling across state lines by contacting the Arizona Game and Fish Department or authorized contractor Woods to Water Wildlife Solutions LLC for inspections and decontaminations of boats traveling away from waters designated as having aquatic invasive species (AIS).

“We know that watercraft inspection and decontamination programs are effective in preventing the spread of AIS and we are asking the boating public to do its part in calling and scheduling a no-cost inspection,” AZGFD Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator Erin Raney said. “It is absolutely essential to have your boat inspected, and if necessary, decontaminated, to prevent the spread of mussels and AIS into other waterbodies. We are already receiving reports of mussel boats being intercepted in other states that are making their way from Arizona waters.”

AIS are non-native species that are often unintentionally introduced by human movement. They do not have predators outside of their native range, and are able to outcompete native species. They can be animals, plants and even pathogens that cause disease in native fish or other aquatic animals. Even worse, they can often be invisible to the naked eye, making them even more difficult to control. Once introduced, they can alter ecosystems by interrupting food chains, damaging boats and other recreational gear, clogging water and power infrastructure, and posing safety hazards.

A recent study produced in the Pacific Northwest found that an introduction of mussels to water and hydropower facilities would have an annual impact of $500 million dollars to the economy. Appointments are filling up quickly, so call well ahead of departure. There are two options to schedule:

Arizona Game and Fish AIS Program: (623) 236-7608
Woods to Water Wildlife Solutions, LLC: (602) 920-4891

“As outdoor enthusiasts, it is our responsibility to be stewards of the places that we love,” Raney said. “Stopping the spread of AIS is a big job, but with everyone pitching in, we can all do our part to protect our waters.”

Stop the spread of AIS and keep our waters clean and beautiful for ourselves and future generations. See a flyer on the clean, drain and dry process.

Regardless of where you boat, always remember to:

Clean boats, waders, anchors, equipment and gear by removing mud, plants, and attached animals such as snails or quagga mussels. Freeze waders overnight to eliminate fish pathogens and other aquatic hitchhikers.
Drain all residual water from engines and motors, ballast tanks, live wells and bait wells. Pull your bilge plug and leave out during transport. Store in a location where you will remember before launch such as beside your boat keys in glove box.
Dry all equipment that comes in contact with water, such as life jackets, ropes, buoys, tubes, etc.

See more information on aquatic invasive species.