OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF
Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson
225 W. Olive Street
Newport, Oregon 97365
Tel (541) 265-4277
Fax (541) 265-4926
TIP OF THE WEEK
Date: April 25, 2016
PADDLERS AND AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) PREVENTION PERMIT
Manually powered boats (paddle and oar) 10 feet long and longer are required to purchase an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention permit and carry it when operating the watercraft. Non-resident paddlecraft operators are also required to purchase a permit and carry it when boating in Oregon waters.
The Marine Board sells both an annual tag and a two-year Tyvek tag for paddlecraft and can be purchased through the Marine Board’s office in Salem or online through the Marine Board’s new storefront. Permits expire on December 31 annually or every two years depending on which permit is purchased. Out-of-state permits for non-motorized boats are also $5.
The AIS permit is $5 for a one year and $10 for two years when purchased online. Funds are dedicated and used only for the aquatic invasive species prevention program. Annual permits for paddlers can also be purchased from any ODFW license agents for $7. Oregon’s registered motorboat owners already contribute to the AIS program through a $5 surcharge on their boat registration fee. Out-of-state permits for motor boats are $20.
In 2014, revenue generated from AIS Prevention Permit totaled $670,235. State, county, and local law enforcement officials issued 957 warnings and 662 citations related to AIS violations. Additional, law enforcement supported ODFW watercraft inspectors with boater compliance resulting in 55 citations and 36 warnings issued for failure to stop at a watercraft inspection station. Of the 11,490 watercraft inspected in 2014, 210 were contaminated with aquatic invaders, 178 with aquatic vegetation and 35 watercraft were contaminated with either freshwater mollusks, quagga or zebra mussels originating from Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, and Utah. A complete report is available for download at http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/Clean/docs/AISPP_Annual_Report.pdf
Boat inspection stations are open during the Summer and Fall and are focusing on highways entering southern and eastern Oregon. Travelers entering the state are asked to look for “Boat Inspection Ahead” signs and be prepared to pull off the highway for inspection. An inspection takes about 10 minutes if boats are free of aquatic species. If a boat is found to be contaminated with aquatic invaders, it will be cleaned by a mobile decontamination team. All trailered boats and paddlecraft are required to stop for an AIS inspection when stations are open.
In 2009, the Oregon Legislature passed legislation that created a self-supporting aquatic invasive species prevention program. The program is designed to educate boaters about the threat of aquatic invasive species and what boaters can do to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species that are already in Oregon, like the New Zealand mud snail. Revenue generated by the permit fee is used for inspection/detection, decontamination, law enforcement and education efforts.
For more information about the aquatic invasive species prevention permit program, visit http://www.oregon.gov/OSMB/Clean/pages/index.aspx.
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