Clean Boating Manual Wins National Award

Press Release from the National Federation of Press Women: Alan Sorum of Skagway has been named a national winner in the annual National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest.

Sorum received second place for "Clean Boating", a booklet produced for the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the category of manuals and handbooks. The publication was produced for the Alaska Seas and Coasts program.

The competition is open only to NFPW members whose work received a first place award in a state affiliate contest. Alaska Professional Communicators (APC) submitted Sorum's entry in the 2008 NFPW Communications Contest.

The NFPW national competition had 968 entries in 203 specialty categories pertaining to print journalism, radio, television and the Internet; marketing communications in multi-media; photojournalism; and authorship and editing of books. The judges were top industry professional from across the U.S. selected for their expert credentials. Judges were not associated with the NFPW or NFPW members.

Awards will be presented at the NFPW annual conference in Idaho Falls, Idaho, September 11-13.

NFPW is an organization of professional journalists and communicators. For more than 70 years, it has promoted the highest ethical standards in communications; provided professional development, youth programs and networking; and advocated for protection of First Amendment rights.

A complete list of national contest winners may be found on the NFPW web site. A list of Alaska's winners is on the Alaska Professional Communicators web site. APC has about 70 members and is based in Anchorage.

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Alaska Seas & Coasts - Clean Boating

I just had a work published by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program on Clean Boating as part of their Alaska Seas & Coasts series. The publication is available in print form for the cost of mailing or can be downloaded at the ASG Website. The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program (MAP) is part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Funding comes from the State of Alaska and the National Sea Grant College Program, a research, education, and outreach program in the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Logline: Learn how to protect your boat, help control costs at the marina, and conserve the environment. This issue tells vessel owners the importance of communicating with marina management, responding properly to fuel spills, and using best management practices in waste disposal. Pointers are also included on how to avoid fire danger, prevent corrosion and electrolysis, follow safe procedures during fueling, and take necessary steps to winterize and store your vessel.

Tags: Clean Boating, Marine Advisory Program, Alaska Sea Grant, Responsible Boating

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The Building Need for Responsible Travel

Support for responsible travel continues to grow. In Alaska, the cruise ship industry was surprised to see grassroots support of a legislative initiative taxing their passengers to pay for port infrastructure and environmental compliance oversight. Travelers have concerns over the impact their vacations may cause to the environment. I have written several articles on responsible, clean boating including a new edition coming in the Alaska Sea Grant's Seas and Coasts periodical series on the subject.

Jennifer Miner, a fellow writer at Suite 101, just wrote a outstanding article titled Responsible Luxury Travel Plans: Easy Sustainable Tourism can be Part of Leisure Vacations that offers suggestions for the ecologically aware traveler. As Jennifer says, "…disproportionate amounts of nonrenewable natural resources are used for the leisure of luxury travel - can lead to an uncomfortable feeling of guilt. And who needs guilt when taking a well-earned vacation?

Responsible boating and travel are built on a foundation of respect. Respect for the safety of your passengers, respect for coastal communities effected by tourism and most of all respect for the environment. We should be selfish. Protecting our natural lands and waters preserves them for out future enjoyment.

Tags: Clean Boating, Ecotravel, Environment, Responsible Travel

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Marine Debris in Alaska

I attended the Alaska Sea Grant conference, Alaska's Fishing Communities ~ Harvesting the Future, in Anchorage this last week. The conference was sponsored in part by NOAA Fisheries and one poster presentation struck me as being something I would like to share. The Marine Conservation Alliance (MCA) has established a foundation focused in part on addressing the problems associated with marine debris on our beaches.

The MCA Foundation has started a website at http://www.mcafoundation.org/ that will hopefully go live soon. The foundation first started receiving funds from NOAA to remove marine debris in Alaska during 2004. Work is accomplished by cooperating with fishermen, local communities, and Native governments.

The stated goals of the MCA Foundation effort are:

• Cleaner beaches

• Removal of hazards to navigation
  

• Wildlife protection

• A searchable database of known debris locations available to vessels of opportunity that may be able to pick the material up

I have written about the problems associated with Marine Plastic Pollution and Marine Plastic Pollution Resources at Suite101.

Tags: Alaska, Marine Debris, Plastic Pollution

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Alaska Sea Grant Program Assessment

I had a chance this week to participate in a national program evaluation for Alaska Sea Grant. This is an evaluation conducted every five years to gauge the effectiveness of this program in Alaska and the impact it has had in our communities. Issues I addressed with the Program Assessment Team (PAT) were centered on operation of Alaska ports and harbor. A copy of the poster prepared for the assessment can be seen to the left and I have included a link to it as a PDF file.

Operation of Alaska Ports and Harbors Poster

To quote Sea Grant, "Alaska's ports and harbors are at the nexus of the state's diverse maritime industry. The people who manage our ports and harbors face daunting challenges such as building, maintaining, and expanding facilities; preparing for natural hazards; managing user behavior; training and managing staff; and staying abreast of regulations."

Efforts I have been involved in with the Alaska Sea Grant College Program include:

• Publication of Northern Harbors and Small Ports: Operation and Maintenance
• Development of a Responsible Boater's Handbook on clean and safe boating
• Assistance with the donation of the City of Valdez's 60-ton Marine Travelift to Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
• Harbor and marina employee online training that utilizes many Alaska Sea Grant publications
• Involvement with the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators

If you have a chance, visit the Alaska Sea Grant Program website and find out more about this great organization. I hope the PAT sees the merits of this group and wholeheartedly support them.

Tags: Alaska Sea Grant, Alaska Ports and Harbors

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Boating Articles at Suite101

During the last month, I have been writing a number of articles related to boating and boating safety at suite101. Topics discussed include trailering, safety equipment, radio usage, and vessel operations. An index of articles is now available that outlines the topics covered to date.

I have several ideas for future topics. These include cold-water immersion, maritime terminology, GPS navigation, clean boating, and vessel maintenance. The 101 site gives me a good chance to establish a broad reference library of boating articles for its readers. Please contact me with ideas that I can add to the site. I would welcome guest articles for the site. Contact me at boatingsailing@suite101.com with your comments and ideas.

Tags: Boating, Boating Safety, Clean Boating, Vessel Care

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