Eco-Tip for 3/25/18
Dockwalker Volunteers Needed to Prevent Oil and Sewage Spills
By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD
This Friday, volunteers will receive training and materials qualifying them to be official “Dockwalkers,” with access to local boaters in the Ventura and Channel Islands harbors.
Dockwalkers use this access to protect the environment by educating boaters and distributing Boater Kits, including tide calendars, oil absorbent sheets, oil absorbent pillows, and fuel bibs for placement around fuel pump nozzles to capture leaks.
Dockwalkers also inform boaters about additional tools, including the free “Pumpout Nav” app, which gives details of the nearest sewage pump out stations and can be downloaded in Google Play or the App Store. This app helps boaters find the closest operational sewage pump out station, learn how to use the pump to empty holding tanks, and report non-functional units. You can learn more about proper sewage management by visiting http://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29209
In Ventura County, pump out locations for the Channel Islands Harbor and Ventura Harbor are all free and can be seen at http://www.dbw.ca.gov/?page_id=28771#Ventura An additional pump out station, at Sea Bridge Harbor, is also free. For the Channel Islands Harbor, pump out facilities are located at both of the guest docks and are maintained by the County of Ventura.
The Dockwalker program is sponsored and promoted by the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways and The Bay Foundation, an organization best known for other efforts mobilizing volunteers and scientists with public agency support. The Foundation’s successes include kelp forest renewal and seaside habitat restoration. Improving the environment through science-based, practical, voluntary efforts, led by nonprofits and government agencies, can be successful in cases where regulatory solutions would not work due to cost, access, noncompliance, or other barriers. However, these solutions are dependent on the recruitment of volunteers and other support. Free registration is required for attendance at Dockwalker training this Friday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the US Coast Guard Recruiting Center in Channel Islands Harbor, 4202 S. Victoria Avenue Oxnard. Contact Victoria Gambale at vgambale@santamonicabay.org, or visit www.santamonicabay.org (under “volunteer with us,” click “view all events”).
For Electronic Edition Register on-line at: http://www.santamonicabay.org/explore/our-communities/clean-boating/volunteer-us/
