At the quarterly Oregon State Marine Board meeting held on June 19, in Salem, the Marine Board approved opening rulemaking for the implementation of several bills passed during the 2019 legislative session; as well as a boating restriction near the Sportcraft Marina dock on the Willamette River in Clackamas County. The Marine Board also considered a petition to repeal the recently adopted rules for boat operations in the Newberg Pool on the Willamette River.

Rulemaking opened related to the 2019 legislative session includes whitewater helmet availability on guided trips (HB2652), registration of boat rental companies (HB2077), improving non-motorized boating access (SB47), boating safety improvements (HB2078 and HB2079) and helping reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species (HB2076). The Marine Board will consider the rules at the October 2019 and January 2020 meetings.

In March, the agency received a petition to repeal the recently-adopted boat operation rules for the Newberg Pool on the Willamette River.  After deliberation, the Marine Board unanimously denied the petition, citing the need to first evaluate the effectiveness of the current rules.  “The Marine Board agreed that they wanted to see if signage, buoys, and increased enforcement would help,” said Marine Board Member, Vince Castronovo.  “We need to give these rules a chance and boaters time to learn them.”  The Marine Board asked OSMB staff to consider the petitioners’ concerns and to work closely with a recently established Mid-Willamette Waterway Safety Committee to evaluate the effectiveness of the new rules on the stretch of the Willamette in question.  OSMB staff was instructed to monitor the boating season in the Newberg Pool and give a presentation to the Marine Board on the effectiveness of the current rules October meeting.  At that time, the Marine Board may consider opening rulemaking.  

In May, the agency was contacted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) regarding wildlife management objectives to trap and remove problematic sea lions predating on salmon near Sportcraft Marina dock.  Because boaters in close proximity to the traps can hinder capture efforts, the Director approved a temporary rule creating a 150-foot buffer around the sea lion traps at the Sportcraft Marina dock from May 8 to May 31, 2019, and from September 1 through October 31, 2019.  Following adoption of the temporary rule, ODFW indicated that trapping efforts at this location will continue for the foreseeable future and requested a permanent rule to restrict watercraft from the area adjacent to the traps during the season when sea lions are present (September through May).  The Marine Board approved opening rulemaking. OSMB staff will return to the Marine Board in October with a rule recommendation.

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