4.2F – Operation and Maintenance – Boat Operation

Management Measure

Restrict boating activities where necessary to decrease turbidity and physical destruction of shallow-water habitat.

Prevent erosion of shorelines and stream channels by reducing boat wake.

Restrict boater traffic in shallow-water areas. Put signs up near sensitive areas of your marina or give boaters maps that indicate where boats should be operated with caution to avoid environmental harm.
Mark seagrass beds and other sensitive areas with signs. Survey these areas annually (since they can grow and expand) to ensure you have them marked correctly.

Respect no-wake zones and speed limits. They are posted to protect the environment and other boaters.
Familiarize yourself with the underwater environment where you will be boating so you can anticipate.

Critical Coastal Areas (CCA) Program is an innovative program to foster collaboration among local stakeholders and government agencies, to better coordinate resources and focus efforts on coastal watersheds in critical need of protection from polluted runoff. A multi-agency statewide CCA Committee has identified an initial list of 101 CCAs along the coast and in San Francisco Bay.
SWRCB pamphlet contains information on the Areas of Special Biological Significance, including legal descriptions, maps, and applicable Board resolutions, including exceptions. The document presented is the June 2003 publication, with electronic revisions as of October 2003.