Marine Board Meeting In Madras, July 30 - 07/16/26

The Oregon State Marine Board will hold its quarterly hybrid meeting on July 30 at the Inn at Cross Keys Station, 66 NW Cedar Street, in Madras. The meeting will be held in the main conference room beginning at 8:30 am.

Agenda items include:

• Director’s Report, Informational
• Siletz River Rulemaking – Board Vote
• Aquatic Invasive Species Program Update – Informational
• Life Jacket Rules -Option to Initiate Rulemaking
• Reciprocity with Idaho Guides and Outfitters – Option to Initiate Rulemaking
• Leadership Elections for Chair and Vice Chair – Board Vote

Public comments will be accepted in writing or during the meeting’s public comment period before discussing the agenda items. The agency will not be taking any testimony pertaining to any agenda items where the comment period has already closed. To provide oral testimony on non-agenda items, register by 5 p.m., July 27, with Jennifer Cooper at jennifer.cooper@boat.oregon.gov or by mail: Oregon State Marine Board, Attn: Jennifer Cooper, 435 Commercial St. NE, Suite 400, Salem, OR 97301.

Meeting materials and live stream link are available on the agency’s Public Meetings page.

Meetings are conducted via the Microsoft Teams application, and viewing may require installing the free Teams app on mobile devices.

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Drinking And Boating? Enhanced BUII Patrols July 3 - 5 (Photo) - 06/29/26

The Oregon State Marine Board, in partnership with marine law enforcement across the state, will be participating in Operation Dry Water, July 3^rd through July 5^th, as part of a nationally coordinated effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities related to boating under the influence of intoxicants (BUII).

BUII includes consumption of prescription drugs, alcohol, inhalants, marijuana, or any combination impairing a person’s ability to operate a boat safely. The effects of drugs and alcohol are amplified on the water due to the combined impacts of environmental stressors like sun glare, wind, wave motion, and other factors. Alcohol also dehydrates the body, making sudden immersion into cold water increase the risk of drowning, particularly if the person is not wearing a life jacket.

Impaired boaters face serious penalties. The consequences of a BUII conviction include possible jail time, a $6,250 fine, and loss of boating privileges. Marine officers can legally obtain blood, breath, or urine if a boater fails field sobriety tests. If a boat driver retrieves a boat from the water onto a boat trailer, they could be charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII).

“Recreational boating is a relatively safe activity when boating sober, wearing life jackets, and staying aware of the surroundings,” says Brian Paulsen, Boating Safety Program Manager for the Marine Board. So far this year, the common denominators for boating fatalities are not wearing a life jacket, falling overboard, and alcohol consumption.

If you see an impaired operator or someone who is operating in a way that threatens others’ safety, boaters are encouraged to call 911 to file a report. Remember the boat type and characteristics, number of passengers, describe the observed behavior, nearest boat ramp, and, if possible, the boat’s registration number/letters at the bow.

For more information about Operation Dry Water, visit www.operationdrywater.org.

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