Maine Game Wardens Participate in Operation Dry Water

During the weekend of June 24-26, Maine Game Wardens along with other marine law enforcement participated in Operation Dry Water, a national outreach and enforcement campaign with the goal of raising awareness of the dangers of boating under the influence and removing impaired operations from our nation’s waterways. During that weekend of heightened enforcement, 89 game wardens worked 1,339 hours on Maine’s waterways checking 2,689 vessels and 6,370 boaters resulting in 114 boating related citations, of which 12 were violations related to boating under the influence. Additionally, game wardens issued 414 safety related warnings and 96 summonses. Many of those summonses included fishing license and possession limit violations. It is common for game wardens to stop boaters who lack the appropriate number of personal floatation devices (PFDs) for all passengers on board. The Maine Warden Service reminds everyone that it is always best to wear your PFD when boating. If you do not wear your PFD, it should be easily accessible and not stowed away in a compartment.  It is much like trying to put on a seat belt prior to a car crash; it’s not going to happen. Most boating fatalities are the result of not wearing a PFD and nearly half of all fatal boating crashes involve alcohol.  Also, boat operators should never allow passengers to ride on gunwales or seatbacks or outside of protective railings, including the front of a motor boat. A sudden turn, stop or start could cause a fall overboard.  For more safety information, please review the Boater’s Guide to Maine Boating Laws and Responsibilities To view the live Operation Dry Water Periscope broadcast with Lt Adam Gormely on Mousam Lake, click here! As you head out to enjoy Maine's waterways, remember to stay safe and never boat under the influence! [embed]https://youtu.be/HiLPuW1xZxA[/embed]