RALEIGH – A Carteret County marina has been certified as a North Carolina Clean Marina, a designation given to marinas that help safeguard the environment by using best management and operation techniques that exceed environmental requirements.
The Beaufort Docks Marina is the newest facility to be certified, joining several marinas along the coast in the voluntary program, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality announced Tuesday.
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To earn the certification, the marina’s owners control boat maintenance activities and prepare spill prevention plans to protect water quality. Marina operators also incorporate safety and emergency planning for their facilities.
Marina operators must complete an evaluation form about their use of specific best management practices to protect water quality to be certified. North Carolina Division of Coastal Management developed the criteria.
“The Clean Marina program is a prime example of a voluntary, non-regulatory effort within state government that helps protect our valuable coastal resources,” Braxton Davis, director of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, said in a statement. “The program also boosts the economy, as boaters want to use the marinas that have the Clean Marina status because it shows they care about protecting water quality.”
The nonprofit National Marine Environmental Education Foundation, which works to clean up waterways for better recreational boating, developed the nationwide program. The North Carolina program is a partnership between the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership, North Carolina Sea Grant, the U.S. Power Squadron, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Marinas with the designation can fly the Clean Marina flag and use the logo in their advertising.
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