The recreational boating industry expressed disappointment with the decision to advance the North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) Vessel Strike Reduction Rule and urges administration to consider economic impact and management alternatives.
Tag: Legislative Updates
Federal Trade Commission Anti-Fraud Rule Supported by Marine Industry
WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2024 – On Feb. 15, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized its Government and Business Impersonation Rule, which gives the agency more tools to combat scammers who impersonate businesses or government agencies. The MRAA, National Marine Manufacturers Association, and the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association submitted a comment to the FTC on Dec. […]
Arizona House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Passes Boater Education Legislation
• Paves the Way for a Culture of Safe Boating in the Grand Canyon State Minneapolis, MN, February 15, 2024 – Wednesday, Feb. 9, the Arizona House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee voted 9-2 to pass H.B. 2149: Watercraft operation; minors; safety education. This marks the first step toward adopting boater education in the Grand Canyon […]
MRAA Board Approves 2024 Advocacy Priorities
Minneapolis, February 14 – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas’ (MRAA) Board of Directors recently approved its 2024 legislative and regulatory advocacy resolutions as recommended by the Advisory Council of Marine Associations (ACMA). The advisory council and its annual resolutions are an integral part of the MRAA’s advocacy efforts. ACMA was created to advise […]
MRAA Members may be Eligible for Share of $5.5 Billion Payment Card Settlement
If your business accepted payment from Visa and Mastercard payment cards between 2004 and 2019, you can file a claim for your portion of the $5.5 billion Payment Card Interchange Fee settlement. MRAA was contacted by the court-approved outreach team in order to ensure MRAA members are aware of the settlement and how to file […]
New MRAA Advocacy Toolkit
• Your Ticket to a Seat at the Legislative Table Your business is affected by policies and regulations that are written in state legislatures and Congress, so naturally we want to ensure that you have a voice in how those laws are crafted. For that reason, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is excited […]
Advocacy Update: Final North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule Delayed Until 2024
The long-awaited final North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule will likely not be finalized by the end of 2023, according to Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator of Fisheries at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This rule, which proposes to put in place a 10-knot speed limit on all vessels 35 feet or larger […]
Briefing Held on Economic Impact of NOAA Vessel Strike Reduction Rule
On November 9, the Congressional Boating Caucus hosted a briefing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) proposed expansion of the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. The briefing outlined how the proposal would devastate the recreational boating and fishing industries on the Atlantic coast and the communities that depend on them. […]
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Rejects Petition to Establish Vessel Speed Zone in the Gulf of Mexico
Friday, Oct. 27, the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration Office of Fisheries denied a petition to establish a mandatory 10-knot (11-mph) speed limit, and other vessel-related mitigation measures, to protect the endangered Rice’s whale in the Gulf of Mexico. This decision comes ahead of the highly anticipated Final Agency Action on the Proposed Amendments to […]
Gathering to Share Recreational Boating Priorities in Massachusetts
• Recreational Boating Industry Meets with Paul Jahnige, Director of Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager Last week members of the recreational boating industry met to welcome Paul Jahnige as the inaugural Director of Massachusetts’s Office of Outdoor Recreation (OREC), making the Bay State the 18th state in the […]
