OK. This headline is in no way sarcastic. Read it as it is sounding in my head. “Have Fun (while you are at the same time) Saving the Planet.” Since our planet is made up by two-thirds of water, let’s just focus on that part. As a boater and recreational fisherman I’ve been taught to respect our waterways and all the life living within. In fact, most all boaters and fishermen I know following common sense environmental and conservation guidelines. It’s not that difficult and, in reality, has made our sport more enjoyable. A few notable things:

1. Never throw or discharge anything out of your boat, except bait. I keep a supply of large, heavy duty trash bags on board. As the day does on, crew & guests simply throw their refuse in the bag. Recyclables are kept in a separate bag. I found that this keeps the boat free and clean of junk throughout the day, and less crap on deck means more room for fun.

2. When trolling or cruising we keep an eye out for floating debris and net it out of the water when possible. I’ve turned this into a game for the kids, keeping them occupied and less under-foot. Once we snagged a mylar Happy Birthday balloon floating in the weed line and it just happened to be my birthday. My guests and I had a good laugh over that. 

3. Use a pump out station to empty your head. EZPZ.

4. Contain all oil & gas within the boat. Do the math, one quart of oil or gasoline can contaminate up to 250,000 gallons of water. A little extra time and care at a fuel dock can go a long way.

5. If you trailer your boat and launch at different water systems in the same day, rinse off your hull & trailer between ramps. You might accidentally transport vegetation and marine organisms from one ecosystem to another where it doesn’t belong. Unknowingly you can damage a lake or another water system. 

Now, recreational boaters & fisherman are not the problem compared to big industry and commercial fisheries. Rather, it’s a sum of the parts equation where a little bit of effort from a lot of people can make all the difference in the world. When time permits Google Clean Boating Habits and see what you can be doing within your boating routine. Survey of one, I want to leave this planet a better place for my kids and grandkids.