AMERICA'S WATERWAY WATCH

Prevention Outreach Division

This Division is responsible for Auxiliary support of America's Waterway Watch, Aquatic Nuisance Species and Sea Partners, including: Clean Boating Practices, Marine Debris, Small Spills and Education.

America's Waterway Watch is a Public Outreach and Awareness program of the Coast Guard, enlisting Auxiliary support in the traditional areas of Vessel Safety Checks, Public Education, Visitation and Public Affairs. The AWW function of "M" manages and coordinates the Auxiliary's activity in America's Waterway Watch which is focused specifically on the Recreational Boating Community, and on assisting the Coast Guard in outreach to others in the maritime community.

The Auxiliary's America's Waterway Watch program is managed by the "M" Department, and coordinated at the District level by members holding the position of District Staff Officers-Marine Safety (DSO-MS). Much of the building of public awareness, however, has been assigned to Auxiliarists conducting VSCs, visiting marine dealers and conducting safe boating courses for members of the recreational boating community.

Members of the Auxiliary, in addition to increased activity in augmenting in support billets and picking up more safety and security patrols on water, air and land, have directed their resources to areas related to Recreational Boating Safety (RBS). These traditional Auxiliary services include courtesy Vessel Safety Checks (VSC), Safe Boating Courses for the recreational boating community, and visiting marine dealers and other waterfront business to gain their cooperation in promoting safe and secure boating practices, and environmental protection. And as the Coast Guard team members most directly involved in public contact activity, these Auxiliarists are in the best position to promote, organize and monitor activities related to America's Waterway Watch.

The Auxiliary's AWW efforts are coordinated with the Coast Guard's management of the America's Waterway Watch program at the national level, though local Auxiliarists are encouraged to coordinate their activities with Coast Guard Reservists responsible for promoting AWW with commercial interests.

The Coast Guard maintains the primary AWW web site at

http://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/channelView.do?channelId=-18383

Sea Partners is an environmental education and outreach program focused on communities at large to develop community awareness of maritime pollution issues and to improve compliance with marine environmental protection laws and regulations.

Sea Partners messages include:

The effects of oil, hazardous chemicals, waste and debris on the marine environment.

How marine environmental protection laws and regulations apply to various marine users.

Ways groups and individuals can take action to protect the marine environment.

The Coast Guard maintains the primary Sea Partners web site at:

http://homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/channelView.do?channelId=-24887

2009 Sea Partners / AWW Workshop May 8 - 10, 2009 San Diego, CA

The workshop will be similar to the one held in September 2008 in Atlanta. Training is scheduled for both programs including resource materials, outreach initiatives and program developments. This is a two and a half day workshop which will only be open to those Auxiliarists who are active, producing participants in either program and who have never attended this workshop before. Attendance will be limited to forty (40) Auxiliarists. A copy of the application can be downloaded below. Return electronically (Link on application form) no later than April 6, 2009. Late applications shall not be accepted.

America's Waterway Watch

America's Waterway Watch-General Information WATERWAY WATCH UPDATE

New AWW Materials Order Form

Limitations On Auxiliarists Earning MPro/Active Duty Insignia for Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection Qualifications ALCOAST

Aquatic Nuisance Species, Sea Partners, Materials
(additional material located below scroll down)

Pollution Incident Response (PIR) Course

Latest versions of Good Mate Manual & PowerPoint are found on the

Court Decision. Ballast Water Prohibition

Latest versions of Study Guide - MSAM/MEES are found on the and

National Ocean Policy Report Released

Aquatic Nuisance Species Govt Task Force

Aquatic Nuisance Species Information Sources

"Clean Boating Course" Lesson Plan

Aquatic Nuisance Training Guide Latest versions of Training Guide may be found on the page

Waterway Watch & Sea Partners Training

Pollution Response

Pollution Incident Response (PIR) Course

USCG Sea Partners Program Outline and training material for the "Sea Partners" program, including the use of the new "Good Mate" CD and documents as part of that program. PowerPoint and Word documents.

Oceans and Coastal Protection US EPA Office of Water. Access to information on ocean discharges, ocean dumping, marine debris efforts.

Beach Watch US EPA Office of Water. Program provides grants to state, tribal, interstate, and local agencies to establish effective monitoring and public notification programs for beaches. The first federal site to contain information about local beach closings and conditions.

Clean Boating Links:

National Clean Boating Campaign
Clean Vessel Act Pumpout Program US Fish & Wildlife Service
Clean Vessel Act of 1994 Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
Clean Marina Program Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
International Coastal Cleanup - Center for Marine Conservation
NOAA Marine Fisheries Service - Endangered species and marine mammal information
NOAA National Ocean Service - Publications available on-line
National Estuary Program -US EPA. Information about this effort to protect and restore the health of estuaries while supporting economic and recreational activities.
Nonpoint Source Pollution Control - US EPA. Access information about polluted runoff and exchange information about methods for reducing the affects of this environmental issue.
Pollution Incident Response (PIR) Course

Documents and Bulletins

New AWW Material Order Form. Order Form (Revised 08/2006), to obtain AWW promotional material from ANSC.

Other AWW Type Programs at the State and Local Levels. In addition to local Coast Guard and Auxiliary programs that are a part of the National America's Waterway Watch program, several similar projects (with no formal connection to AWW) have been established in local jurisdictions:

One of these programs, CGD13's "Citizen Action Network" (AKA Northwest Watch), calls for a formal commitment by citizens living on the waterways. Citizen http://www.uscg.mil/d13/can/default.asp

Another is the Maritime Security Initiative established by the New Jersey State Police. It is basically a community watch program for boaters, waterfront facilities, businesses that cater to those who work and recreate on the water. The program started after September 11th as a way to gain information on possible terrorist activities, but has since expanded into any criminal or suspicious activity. More information about this program can be found at the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) web site.

Auxiliary Leaders Foil Illegal Immigrants
By Pat Feighery, Auxiliary Public Affairs

America’s Waterway Watch worked as it was designed to on a recent Sunday in coastal Florida!

While returning from a Division meeting in Marathon Florida on Sunday April 23, 2006, Gene Kahn, Seventh District Rear Commodore East, Jeff Bronsing, Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 13-8 and Donald Zinner Seventh District Auxiliary Flight Safety Officer observed eight people jump from a go-fast boat off the shore of Long Key State Park.

The eight individuals scurried to shore and were in the process of climbing through a fence that surrounds the state park.

A startled Zinner asked his companions “Did you see what I just saw?” Both exclaimed “Yes!”

The car carrying the Auxiliarists was immediately turned around and Coast Guard Station Marathon Florida was notified that the red go-fast was southbound under the Long Key Bridge. The Auxiliarists also called the Monroe County Florida Sheriff’s Department, who happened to have a deputy in the immediate area.

Kahn, Bronsing and Zinner, from a safe distance, maintained surveillance of what turned out to be eight illegal immigrants until authorities took the individuals into custody. It was all over in less then 7 minutes. Coast Guard Station Marathon advised that the red go fast was intercepted and its occupants were detained.

Kahn, in describing the event, stated, “ It all happened so fast, it was case of being in the right place at the right time. These events prove the meaning of Semper Paratus (Always Ready) and the need for the Waterway Watch Message to be spread throughout the boating community”. (Posted 4 May 2006)

NEWS ARTICLE: Coast Guard asks boaters to help thwart terrorism. The U.S. Coast Guard is requesting the assistance of America's 70 million boaters and others who work, play and live around water to be a neighborhood watch around America's waterways.

”Let's face it; with over 95,000 miles of shoreline, 300,000 square miles of waterways, 6,000 bridges, 360 ports of call, and thousands of marinas, the United States Coast Guard simply cannot be everywhere at once,” the Coast Guard said in a press release announcing the program, dubbed America's Waterway Watch. (Posted 4/5/2006) (Full Story)

WATERWAY WATCH UPDATE
AWW Materials

1). We have reordered the national programs materials (red/white/ and blue). Reprints of the brochures and wallet cards are now in stock at the Auxiliary National Supply Center. Contact Randy Ernst, Warehouse Manager to order what you need. He is in the global listing. The decals are also on order and should be shipped to the warehouse by the end of April. We have also redesigned the AWW Poster to a smaller size (16 x 20) and want to print it on durable plastic paper for outside use. The printing vendor is working on funding the correct type of plastic paper. With any luck the new poster should be in stock at the warehouse by the end of May (see attached). In addition, the Spanish version of the brochure has been completed. I am obtaining estimates for printing. I do not have a timeframe when these brochures will be printed and shipped to the warehouse.

2). The DVD movies of the AWW Program and Train-the-Trainer (TTT) are also in stock at the warehouse. The program DVD is 6 minutes with an introduction by the Commandant. The TTT DVD is about 18 minutes with intro by the Commandant as well. We have these in DVD and VHS format. The program video can be used at boat shows, boating safety classes and other large gatherings of persons with interest in AWW. The TTT should be used when you train other folks (reservists or auxiliarists) who are interested in doing what you do for our outreach effort. We have a Spanish version of the program video, which should be in stock at the warehouse shortly.

3). We have a new AWW Table Top Display (TTD), which is wonderful. (see attached). We have ordered some more, which should be in the warehouse by the end of May.

-----> AWW Order Form

The Good Mate Manual can be downloaded and viewed . A Course Overview of the Good Mate Manual is also available here as a Powerpoint presentation.

Aquatic Nuisance Species Information. A listing of "ANS" Web Sites and Outreach Material Available through ANSC

Court Decision. Ballast Water Prohibition. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Affirming right to prohibit ballast water discharge

"Clean Boating Course" Lesson Plan. This Clean Boating Lesson Plan is a product of the Maryland Clean Marina Initiative. The Initiative promotes and celebrates voluntary adoption of measures to reduce pollution from marinas and recreational boating.

Marine Environmental Education Specialist Study Guide can be fount on the Trident Program Pages.

Training Guide - U.S. Coast Guard’s Aquatic Nuisance Species and Ballast Water Program

National Ocean Policy Report Released - The US Commission on Ocean Policy released the pre-publication copy of its final report on 20 Sep 2004. This report is the most comprehensive review of our nation’s marine policy framework since the release of the Stratton Commission report 35 years ago and addresses many issues involving the Coast Guard's environmental protection missions. Chapters 16 through 19 are of particular significance to the USCG. The Administration has 90 days to respond to Congress on the recommendations in this report. The pre-publication copy is available online.
[Source: DVC-ME]

Waterway Watch and Sea Partners were the subjects of a train-the-trainers meeting in New Orleans in July, at which some 90 USCG, Auxiliary and Civilian members of Coast Guard Forces were given a “train-the-trainer” education on the two programs. This article describes the meetings and what was covered. [Posted 16 Sept 04]

The 100th Meridian Initiative: A Strategic Approach to Prevent the Westward Spread of Zebra Mussels and Other Aquatic Nuisance Species

Sea Partner Training Presentations. In addition to the Good Mate Manual and Overview located on the page, the following instructional aids are available for Sea Partner Training: