• Facing the Next Wave: How Dealer Action Protects Access and Your Bottom Line MINNEAPOLIS, September 22, 2025 — Recreational boating activities, including wake surfing, face scrutiny across the country. Proposed regulations threaten to restrict access to waterways and limit where and how your customers can enjoy their time on
• BoatUS Foundation and United States Coast Guard Boating Safety Toolkit Despite the recreational boating season beginning to wind down, the safety of your customers and others on the water should still be of the utmost importance. Boating Education — Boater Safety As summer begins to change into fall, colder
• New legislation would modernize accessibility to saltwater recreational fishing regulations and marine waters navigation information WASHINGTON, September 12, 2025 – Saltwater anglers, hunters and marine recreationists joined the, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Marine Manufacturers Association, American Sportfishing Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s
By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager In May the United States Coast Guard announced plans to remove a number of Aids to Navigation (ATONs) across the Northeast. These ATONs — buoys, markers and beacons — are essential tools that guide boaters safely through our nation’s waterways. The Coast Guard
• Amendment Passes in the 2025-2026 Mass. State Budget The Massachusetts Marine Trades Association has once again secured funding for workforce development efforts in Massachusetts. The recently passed state budget as included $150,000 specifically to help bolster workforce development and career technical education initiatives within the recreational boating industry. These
• National Marine Trades Council (NMTC) Hosts Annual Conference to Discuss Workforce Development, Advocacy, Marketing and More PORTLAND, MAINE, August 13, 2025 – The National Marine Trades Council (NMTC) successfully concluded its annual conference, hosted July 21-24 by the Maine Marine Trades Association (MMTA) at the Portland Harbor Hotel in Maine.
• Implications for marine retailers — how the MRAA is fighting for you By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager In late May, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a powerful trade group representing automakers and suppliers, responded to a public comment request from the Department of Justice’s newly created Anticompetitive
Among the wide range of provisions tucked into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA), some will have a positive impact on the recreational marine industry — from tax policy to workforce development. Here are four important provisions the MRAA supported. 1. Qualified Business Income Deduction The 199A Qualified Business
• Strong Advocacy Efforts Lead to Boater Victory in Garden State In late June, Governor Murphy officially signed the 2026 New Jersey State Budget, keeping the boat tax unchanged. The Marine Trades Association of New Jersey exemplifies how vital state marine trades associations are in advocating for our industry. Their
• A Q&A with Rick’s Small Sailboats, Florida-Based Dealer and MRAA Bronze Member By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager Rick Upson started his dealership, Rick’s Small Sailboats, with a simple goal: to share his love of sailing and help more people experience the joy of being on the water.
