April 15, 2021
Boating season is right around the corner, and knowing where to pumpout is important for following the Puget Sound No Discharge Zone (NDZ) Rule. In August 2020, Washington Sea Grant, along with the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act ...
September 17, 2020
Attention boaters!
Do you have a few minutes to learn about marine debris and help us in our efforts to improve Washington State’s waters and beaches? You can help by taking out boater outreach survey.
Take the survey here: http://tinyurl.com/WSGSurvey
Thanks so much for your time!
Read MoreAugust 24, 2020
Washington Sea Grant, in partnership with the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant Program, is excited to announce that Pumpout Nav, a free iOS and Android app for boaters, has expanded to Washington. Boaters can now use the interactive tool to find nearly 200 pumpout ...
June 3, 2022
We know many boaters haven’t been out on the water for a while, or perhaps you are new to boating entirely. Either way, here are some videos to remind everyone of the importance of proper sewage disposal while on the water. Pumpout Washington is a program which provides boaters with designated pumpout stations to dispose of their sewage safely and efficiently. We all share these waters, and get our food from them, so remember, pump- don’t dump!
Unsure ...
Read MoreFrom the spring 2020 Sea Star print newsletter
Kimber Owen, owner of Sea Wolf Adventures, has an exceptional memory for the people that she’s taken on her 12-passenger cruise ship, which frequents Pacific Northwest jewels such as the San Juan Islands and Glacier Bay National Park. There was the police officer who wanted to propose to his girlfriend but, fearing he ...
From the autumn 2019 Sea Star print newsletter
By Brittany Hoedemaker, WSG Science Communications Fellow
Ever dream of slipping out of your dark, air-conditioned office for an afternoon boat ride under the warm mid-summer sun? We did. Our summer daydreams became a reality when Washington Sea Grant (WSG) Communications Director MaryAnn Wagner and I got a ride on Seattle’s Portage Bay with Katie Wixom and her four-legged co-captain, Roger, one sunny July day.
In partnership with State Parks, WSG leads the Pumpout ...
Read MoreNovember 18, 2019
Northwest Maritime Center receives grant for Puget Sound Fiberglass Boat Recycling plan
Beginning in the 1960’s, fiberglass became a prominent material for ship building. Durable and relatively low maintenance, fiberglass became the choice material for vessel owners. But as these vessels begin to come to the end of their lifespan, a question comes up: what should we do with ...
Read MoreAugust 1, 2019
Facility funded by State Parks’ Clean Vessel Act program
OLYMPIA – A new sewage pumpout for recreational boaters is now open at the Shaw Island General Store in the San Juan Islands. The facility is expected to serve hundreds of boaters this summer.
The idea to install a pumpout facility came from Terri and Steve Mason, longtime island residents and owners of the Shaw General Store.
“I grew up on Orcas ...
May 1, 2019
With funding from the Clean Vessel Act program, 140 pumpout stations help divert sewage from coastal and inland waters in Washington.
Washington’s recreational boaters have diverted nearly 11 million gallons of sewage from coastal and inland waters by pumping out their boat holding tanks at more than 140 public pumpout stations last year. ...
March 1, 2018
The Sea Grant programs in Alaska and Washington are releasing a new, updated edition of the popular Fishermen’s Direct Marketing Manual. As the business climate of the seafood industry evolves, many fishermen are choosing to directly market their catch in hopes of capturing more of its value so the publication’s release is timely.
Hard copies of the 5th edition of the manual, edited by Terry Johnson, are now available through Alaska Sea Grant’s online bookstore. The ...
Read MoreJanuary 3, 2018
Commerical fishermen, don’t sacrifice sleep to bring in a good catch. Fatigue increases your risk of vessel incident. For one man, fatigue cost nearly $70,000.
Read MoreAugust 17, 2017
Washington Sea Grant expands its clean marina and small oil spill prevention programs on Lake Chelan
Head down to Lake Chelan on a hot summer day, and its vast surface will be speckled with jet skis and motor boats. The locals all know there’s no better way to beat the heat in eastern Washington than to get in some quality time out on Chelan’s transparent, aquamarine water. What’s less commonly known, however, is that these very activities can ...
Read MoreAugust 9, 2017
Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grants will mean less pollution in Washington State Waters.
Boater sewage is a source of pollution into Washington State waters that can contaminate shellfish beds or spread waterborne diseases at popular swimming beaches. To keep this pollution at bay, Washington State Parks Department’s Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program works with the University of Washington’s Washington Sea Grant to help boaters and marinas safely dispose of vessel waste. Two recently awarded grants ...
Read MoreJuly 25, 2016
To paraphrase an old saying, “There’s no use crying over spilled oil.” Yet many are concerned with oil pollution in Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands.
What people don’t realize is that the biggest source of spills so far in the region has not been tankers and freighters, but small recreational and commercial vessels. Small spills, such as oily bilge discharge, account for 75 percent of the oil dumped into local waters over the last 10 years.
In ...
Read MoreMarch 29, 2016
Pumpout boats, public education, and collaboration with marinas divert 8 million gallons of onboard sewage to onshore treatment in 2015.
In 2014, Pumpout Washington, a joint project of Washington Sea Grant and Washington State Parks, helped divert a record 6 million gallons of raw sewage from Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and other state waterways. Now the 2015 numbers are in and they blow 2014’s record away. More than 8.3 million gallons that would previously have been dumped into vulnerable ...
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