Tell NOAA to Approve a Limited Season for Red Snapper

Boating United has issued an alert encouraging all industry stakeholders to take action and tell the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support Amendment 43 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region. The NMMA, MRAA, and other industry supporters have worked diligently alongside our fishing coalition partners to open red snapper fishing season, while placing an emphasis on conservation.  

The alert comes as new regulations were proposed that would allow a limited 2018 season for red snapper in South Atlantic federal waters. Red snapper has increased in abundance over the last several years – at an even faster rate than predicted by the rebuilding plan. Surveys and angler reports also show a revitalized fishery.

Amendment 43 would allow a limited harvest of one red snapper per person per day. Additionally, fishing would only be permitted on weekends, and the season’s timeframe would be clearly defined.

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council has already approved Amendment 43. Now it’s time for NOAA to follow suit.

NOAA Fisheries needs to hear from the angling community about opening the season. Please join MRAA in urging NOAA to support Amendment 43.  

Dealer to Dealer: June

What do you do in order to keep your team motivated through your busy season?

“Remind them everyday how much they are appreciated. Always make a point to recognize good work, even just the smallest thing. We do a free staff lunch every Thursday. Share positive feedback from customers (social media, emails or verbal comments, etc). Treat employees like they are the most important person in the dealership because THEY ARE!” – Mark Payne, Payne Marine

“At South Florida Marine, we motivate our staff by having bi-weekly staff meetings. We meet on Tuesday mornings and review any issues or accomplishments that has happened in the previous weeks. We give a Employee of the month certificate and 50.00 gift card to one person each month. This employee of the month is voted on by the staff with a sealed ballot. The owners also give a free lunch to anyone who is mentioned or has helped us receive an online review. These accomplishments are awarded at the meetings and help keep our staff in service and sales motivated. We also discuss any problems and try to work through them as a team, instead of only one department trying to resolve the issue alone.” – Jana Wood, South Florida Marine  

“Get out and work with them. When ever the work load gets a little overwhelming having the boss recognize the problem, willing to get in the trenches and work through it is a big morale boost.” – Joe Lewis, Mount Dora Boating Center

“During the early season, motivation is not too difficult. Once the season starts to drag on, that is when folks get tired. We monitor the energy and tolerance level of our employees and delegate additional paid time off accordingly. Balance is important.” – Rob Brown, Clark Marine

“Having a motivated team is not just what happens at the office but also after hours. We noticed 6 years ago that almost all of our employees loved hockey so we started our own summer hockey league once a week. Every Tuesday night 90% of the staff gets together on the ice to play a weekly game of hockey. This is not only a great motivator but also a great team building opportunity. We have also used our summer hockey league as a way to attract future employees and it as become a part of our recruiting tools. We found out that motivating your employees is not always done with money, you need to listen and find out what works in your environment.” – Marc Savage, Orleans Boat World

 

Each month, MRAA connects with dealership management on a timely and relevant topic and publishing their insights at MRAA.com. Tell us what you have to say about this month’s question by commenting below and participating in the conversation. Also, watch for next month’s question.

Morale Matters More Now. Here’s Why.

Does it really matter if an employee is happy when they show up to work? They showed up on time, the work is being performed at a mostly satisfactory level, they are taking the scheduled breaks and leaving when the work is done or the shift is over. That’s enough, right?

Wrong. Employee morale impacts every aspect of your business. Distracted and unhappy employees are more likely to cut corners to perform the minimum to get the job done. Attitudes are contagious, whether the unhappiness or grumpy attitudes are being spread to other employees – or your customers – unhappy employees are a problem. So how can we make our companies a place that employees come in with joy to share with everyone they interact with? It’s simple, invest in your staff with compassion and open dialogue to reap rewards.

We don’t know what we don’t know and if you aren’t having open and honest dialogue with your employees about what makes them happy at work, chances are you are missing an opportunity to create engaged, happy employees. By engaging with your crew, you are bringing them into the conversation around what is important to them from a workplace. Sometimes small changes can have major outcomes that leadership can miss without that open conversation. By investing in your employees’ overall happiness, you will see returns through improved relationships and communications with your external customers and your internal customers (other departments and staff). Could something as simple and small as providing a coffee machine for your crew to stay amped up impact your overall employee happiness? If you don’t know, you can ask!

Compassion is underrated by many employers, and by society in general. Humans can’t just leave their emotions at home or the door when they walk into work, no matter how great they are at compartmentalization. When you are in pain (emotional or physical), you carry that with you. Emotions live in your hands as you write a work order or turn a wrench, the tension is there. Life’s struggles are in your face as you engage with a customer that is stressed about their boat not working or unsure about the part they need. Creating space in your dealership for people to experience their humanity and emotions can have minor disruptions to a short period of time, yet not addressing a pain point for one of your staff when it is happening can turn the current problem into an enduring problem.

“The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.” says Sybil F. Stershic, author of Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care. By making your employees feel as important as the customers, you will see the customer service experience improve. When I enter the marketplace as a customer, I can usually tell which companies are invested in their employee through the way I am treated while at their business. If the service staff treats me like I am an old friend (even if it is my first time at the establishment), I walk away feeling that the leadership and owners care about their business and all their stakeholders equally. That is what drives my loyalty, spending my dollars at companies who care about their crew.

Why does this matter now, when the marine industry is in the busiest time of the year? This is when you have the most interaction with your customers and leaders need to find time and energy to ensure employees are happily engaged to “infect” your customers with happiness while at your dealership. The sales could happen due to the demand for summer fun on the water, however, will the customer be loyal and return to you for service and storage if their sales experience was lackluster and flat? Maybe. If the customer service experience exceeds their expectations because the employee was excited to serve the customer, that is where loyalty is created.

If you’re still reading, by now you may be wondering, “what can I do to foster employee happiness and engagement at my company?” Great question and good news, MRAA and the MICD program have designed the template for engaging your staff to inform leadership on how to shape a meaningful workplace for your crew. Interested in learning more, contact Nikki at MRAA.

Dominion Domains Supports the MRAA at the Platinum Level

The Marine Retailers Association of the America’s welcomes Dominion Domains to its highest level of membership, Platinum Partnership. Dominion Domains is a registry operator offering .boats and .yachts domain names to marine industry businesses and consumers.

“We are proud to support the MRAA, who works tirelessly to keep the marine industry ahead of the curve,” says Jim Schrand, General Manager of Dominion Domains. “New top-level domains like .boats and .yachts are the next ‘mobilegeddon’ when it comes to websites, and we are excited to kick off this initiative focused on education and awareness about this important trend in online marketing.”

.Boats and .yachts domain names are offered through many online registrars, including Dominion Domains.  By registering a .boats and .yachts domain, marine industry businesses can secure shorter and more memorable web addresses and can leverage SEO-friendly keywords that result in more organic traffic to their website. These shorter domains lead to better brand recall for consumers and more convenient e-mail addresses for their employees. Dominion Domains also provides options to increase website performance through domain transfer, social media, and SEO services.

“We are extremely fortunate to partner with organizations like Dominion Domains, who work toward the advancement of the marine industry,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “We are thrilled to welcome Dominion Domains into the MRAA family.”

Dominion Domains joins a growing roster of boat manufacturers, vendors and suppliers that have chosen to support the dealer community through partnership with the MRAA. The support of these organizations enables the MRAA to expand the products and services it offers to dealers, with the goal of providing them with more tools, resources and educational opportunities to fuel their success. Find a full menu of partner benefits here.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.

About Dominion Domains
Dominion Domains provides domain names and related products and services with a focus on five domain extensions including .boats, .yachts, .homes, .motorcycles, and .autos TLDs.  Founded in the belief that the internet can be a better tool for consumers making life’s big purchase decisions and for the companies that sell those products, Dominion Domains works closely with registrars and end-users to help transform the digital identities of businesses and individuals. Their headquarters is located in Norfolk, Virginia.

MRAA, ORR Applaud Zinke’s Secretarial Orders

MRAA and the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable offered enthusiastic support for Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke’s recent recognition of outdoor recreation in his Secretarial Orders #3365 and #3366 in a letter.
 
Secretarial Order 3365 creates the position of Senior National Advisor to the Secretary for Recreation.  ORR noted that is the first time in nearly 40 years that the term “recreation” has been used in the title of one of the Department’s senior officials or offices – not since the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (successor to the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation) was combined with the National Park Service under President Reagan.
 
The second Secretarial Order, SO 3366, directs bureaus within the Department to: create plans to develop new recreational opportunities or to increase and expand existing opportunities; provide recommendations for improving and streamlining relevant permitting requirements for outdoor recreation providers; and improve the contracting processes for recreation-specific concessioners.
 
The new policy guidance supports coordination and cooperation with all segments of the outdoor recreation industry – including large and small businesses operating on Interior lands and waters under various permits, concessions agreements and other instruments – as well as with states, local governments and tribal and territorial interests while calling for strong intra-departmental collaboration, paralleling current efforts on reorganization.
 
In its letter of support, ORR offered five recommendations: 

  1. That the new National Senior Policy Advisor for Recreation begin monthly “open houses” at Interior for discussions on key outdoor recreation topics;
  2. That the new Made in America Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee begin its work this summer with a review of the reports required by SO 3366 and development of recommendations for appropriate actions;
  3. That the same new advisory committee regularly gather and review the recreation-related recommendations and reports of other Interior boards, committees and councils in cooperation with the National Senior Advisor for Recreation;
  4. That the National Senior Advisor plan a national coordination meeting for state and key private sector partners of the Department, as announced in the Secretary’s May 2 letter to Governors; and
  5. That the National Senior Advisor for Recreation expedite Department efforts to reduce the burdens facing recreation on Interior lands and waters, including those faced by outfitters, guides, facilitated outdoor recreation providers and concessioners.

Read the full letter here. 

House Members Introduce Bipartisan Consumer Education Legislation on Risks of Fuel with High Ethanol

Congressman Austin Scott and Congresswoman Lois Frankel, members of the Congressional Boating Caucus, introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018. The bipartisan legislation would more clearly label harmful and corrosive E15 ethanol blended gasoline at pumps across the country, which would better protect engines in boats, motorcycles, pre-2001 model year vehicles and outdoor power equipment.

“In Florida, recreational boating is more than just a way of life – it’s an $11 billion industry supporting more than 56,000 jobs,” said Congresswoman Frankel. “This bipartisan bill educates people on their fueling options to keep boats running well, so it’s calm waters all year long.”

“As we are presented with more choices at the gas pump, it is imperative that American consumers know exactly what kind of fuel they are putting into their engines,” said Congressman Scott. “Gas pumps today are riddled with confusing labels that fail to adequately warn consumers of the dangers of fueling small engine equipment with E15. For this reason, with the support of Congresswoman Frankel, I introduced the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018. By making fuel pump labels easier to decipher and coordinating public education programs, this legislation can save consumers time and energy at the pumps and avoid headaches and costs down the road.”  

“Thanks to the leadership of Representative Scott and Representative Frankel, American consumers and 141 million recreational boaters will be better insulated from the danger of improperly fueling their boat engines with an unsafe, unreliable and often incompatible fuel option,” said Thom Dammrich, President of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “E15 fuel is often sold at retail gas stations, and currently 63 percent of consumers assume all products sold at these stations are safe for their engines despite the fact that high ethanol fuel blends are prohibited in boat engines. The Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018 addresses that challenge head on and will direct the Administrator of the EPA to revise the labeling requirements for fuel pumps that dispense E15, and to develop and execute a public education campaign that expands awareness of the risks associated with E15.”

The Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2018 would require more detailed labeling of gas pumps that dispense E15 fuel, or fuel with a 15% ethanol, 85% gasoline blend. E15 fuel has been determined to not be suitable for small engines in outdoor equipment and non-road products as E15 can cause corrosion, reduced fuel storage, and less engine lubrication resulting in engines to overheat. Examples of impacted equipment include items such as lawn mowers, weed eaters, generators, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicle (ATVs), and boats, among others. E15 can also cause issues for vehicles, especially those produced before 2001.

MRAA and the Boating Industry Cruise Into Washington D.C.

Earlier this month, more than 250 representatives of the recreational boating industry met in Washington DC to discuss the industry’s most important policy issues with members of the US House of Representatives and Senate.

The American Boating Congress (ABC), the marine industry’s premier political and legislative event produced by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and sponsored by MRAA shed a bright light on critical issues impacting the recreational boating industry, such as getting the Modern Fish Act passed, stopping the year-round sale of E15, and jump-starting the marine workforce.

More than a dozen high profile speakers, from members of Congress to members of the Trump Administration, addressed ABC attendees throughout the three-day conference, the largest and most influential group of speakers to date.

The lineup included Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Scott Pruitt, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, and heads departments such as NOAA (Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet) and the U. S. Coast Guard (Captain Jennifer Williams). Keynoting ABC was Chris Wallace, award-winning journalist and host of FOX News Sunday.

Additional highlights of the week included the conference’s issue workshops, which covered everything from trade and fuel policy to fishing access and jobs, which were designed to help ABC attendees navigate the industry’s most important issues ahead of the conference’s hill meeting’s. Of note was an NMMA and MRAA hosted panel discussion on overcoming the recreational boating industry’s workforce shortage. The panel was timely considering that according to a recent assessment by the MRAA, 21 percent of positions in the recreational boating industry remain unfilled, 59 percent of vacant positions are in service, and 88 percent of the open service positions are technicians.

The core of the American Boating Congress is the interaction between industry representatives and member of Congress. This year, ABC attendees held more than 180 meetings with members of Congress and their staff including Sen. Richard Burr (N.C.), Sen. Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.), Rep. Jimmy Duncan (Tenn.), and Rep. Bill Keating (Mass).

Member Spotlight: Adrian Spiker II

As natural leader with the drive for continuous improvement, Adrian Spiker, of Deep Creek Marina, continues to learn and improve the marina he owns and operates in in McHenry, MD.

Q: How did you get started in the boating industry?

Spiker: My mother had a 10% interest in a marina here on Deep Creek Lake and her partners decided it was time for them to sell.  It was not a profitable or well-run business at that time and the buildings /grounds were run-down. I thought I could turn it around and make a reasonable living at it.  Since it had an existing marina permit, I made the purchase and probably over-paid but it did get me started.

Q: How would you describe your formula for success?

Hard work every day, continuing to keep an open mind to new ideas and continually expanding my education through training courses, seminars and industry groups.  The challenge is to get the new ideas implemented because staff is always resistant to change, but they see me every day at each of our locations and it is my responsibility to lead the entire team.

Q: What would you say is the most interesting decision you’ve made during your time in the boat business?

Borrowing the money to build a new multi-million dollar showroom in late 2006 with the showroom then not being finished for operations until late 2007 – right at the start of the horrible recession.  Luckily, we survived but we had sheer moments of terror.

Q: What are your hopes for our industry?

The boating industry needs to do a better and more consistent job of creating a sales funnel for new boaters—they need to generate more enthusiasm for boating at all levels.
 
Q: What are the 5 things that people may not know about you?

  1. Although I have a degree is business administration, my educational focus was law school.
  2. I love motorcycle racing and still try to participate even now.
  3. I am the “go to guy” at Deep Creek Marina when the mechanics are having diagnostic issues; I personally take the training classes and acquire the necessary certifications.
  4. My family has been natives of Garrett County since it was first settled in the mid-1700’s.  I am an 11th generation native, so……this is my home; I am a local.
  5. My mother was surprised when I did not major in mechanical engineering because when I was 9 years old, I completely disassembled my bicycle in her garage.  She was sure she would never park there again, but I did re-assemble and ride the bike.  I still like to get motors running smoothly, but I sometimes leave a trail of parts behind me.

If you have a nomination for the Member Spotlight section of our newsletter, please send an email to mickaela@mraa.com.

Secretary Zinke Proposes Expansion of Fishing Access At National Wildlife Refuges

Continuing his efforts to increase access to public lands, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced yesterday a proposal to open more than 248,000 acres to new or expanded hunting and fishing opportunities at 30 national wildlife refuges.

Opportunities include places like Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois and Wisconsin, and deer hunting in Philadelphia at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge being proposed for the first time. The proposal also outlines expanded hunting and fishing opportunities at 136 national wildlife refuges. If finalized, this would bring the number of units of the National Wildlife Refuge System where the public may fish to 312.

“As stewards of our public lands, Interior is committed to opening access wherever possible for hunting and fishing so that more families have the opportunity to pass down this American heritage,” Secretary Zinke said. “These 30 refuges will provide incredible opportunities for American sportsmen and women across the country to access the land and connect with wildlife.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) proposal would open more new acres to hunting and fishing than in the past and takes steps to simplify regulations to more closely match state hunting and fishing regulations.

Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed more than $156 billion in economic activity in communities across the United States in 2016 according to the Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, published every five years. More than 101 million Americans – 40 percent of the U.S. population 16 and older – pursue wildlife-related recreation, such as hunting, fishing and birding.

“Ensuring public lands are open for multiple uses supports local economies and provides important opportunities for recreation. Further, this proposal means that families and individuals across our nation will be better able to participate in our nation’s tradition of hunting and fishing. We appreciate Secretary Zinke and the Interior Department for advancing this priority, and we will continue to work to improve access to public lands for our sportsmen,” said Senator John Hoeven.

“Public lands should be open for the public to enjoy,” said Chairman Rob Bishop of Utah. “The Department of the Interior’s latest decision to expand acreage and access for hunting and fishing on wildlife refuges was the right move. Secretary Zinke’s decision will help our economy grow and enable those who hunt and fish to spend more time catching game and less time caught in red tape.”

“North Dakota is a sportsman’s paradise. The decision to expand access to public lands by opening more than 248,000 acres across the nation to hunting and fishing will provide new economic opportunities for local communities as well as open up new areas for anglers and hunters,” said Congressman Kevin Cramer. “For the first time, the J. Clark Salyer and Lostwood National Wildlife Refuges will be open to moose hunting. I commend the Secretary’s decision and look forward to working with the department.”

“Hunters, anglers and shooting sports enthusiasts play a crucial role in funding the management and conservation of North America’s wildlife,” said Service Principal Deputy Director Greg Sheehan. “We are providing sportsmen and women with more access to our national wildlife refuges and streamlining regulations to more closely align with our state partners. And that’s good news for our customers.”

The Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations while also offering other traditional wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands, such as wildlife watching and photography. The Refuge System is an unparalleled network of 566 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts. There is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas.

“The proposed expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities through working partnership with the states is a demonstration of Secretary Zinke’s commitment to our nation’s outdoor heritage and the conservation community,” said Virgil Moore, President of the Association of the Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Director of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “These efforts reaffirm the tremendous value of quality wildlife habitat and outdoor recreational opportunities, including hunting and fishing, in connecting millions of Americans to the outdoors.”

“We applaud Secretary Zinke and the Fish and Wildlife Service for their continued commitment to increasing opportunities for hunting and fishing within the National Wildlife Refuge System,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Interior on increasing access for sportsmen and women.”

More than 53 million Americans visit refuges every year. National wildlife refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation, from fishing, hunting and boating to nature watching, photography and environmental education. In doing so, they support regional economies to the tune of $2.4 billion dollars per year and support more than 35,000 jobs.

Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the Service permits hunting and fishing along with four other types of wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation and interpretation, when they are compatible with an individual refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is currently permitted on 337 wildlife refuges and 37 wetland management districts. Fishing is currently permitted on 277 wildlife refuges and 34 wetland management districts.

The Rest of the Story

A question from the MRAA Employee Satisfaction Survey that often receives low scores is: “I am compensated fairly for the work I perform.” You’re probably not surprised by this. But did you know that dealerships that hold regularly scheduled performance reviews tend to have higher scores on this question because they address this issue in their employee discussions?

Naturally, employees tend to focus on their gross or net pay and forget that the dealer is paying for their employment tax, federal unemployment insurance, and other valuable benefits. If the employee is not reminded about this additional compensation, we find that this question stays at the top of the dissatisfaction list. Even those dealerships that excel at delivering on-time performance reviews may be missing a huge intangible called: “Learning Income.” If you want to dig into the meaning of this term and consider how it can benefit your dealership, start with this blog written by 2016 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo keynote speaker Josh Linkner.

Performance reviews don’t need to be a hassle that managers and employee work to avoid. They are a great chance to review some of the more delicate areas that are required to keep employees engaged and loyal to your dealership. These meetings are also a terrific time to review and update job descriptions by “engaging” the employee in the conversation.

Don’t have a performance review process? MRAA Members, check out our 10 Tips for Marine Dealership Performance Reviews.