THE HARBOR COLUMN:

Ahoy,

Sept. 30 is when all boaters will be subjected to the Environmental Protection Agency’s water discharge permit for every boat in the water unless boaters contact their congressional members to be in support of HR 2550, “The Recreational Boating Act of 2007.”

This bill has been introduced to protect boaters from the law of unintended consequences meant to regulate the ballast water from ships and the transportation of aquatic species from one area of the ocean to another. We know that some of these non-indigenous species, whether animal or plant, can be very invasive and harmful to the natural habitat.

In the past, recreational boats were excluded from the requirement since recreational boats do not have ballast tanks that carry sea water from foreign parts of the ocean.

Now, Congress has about 30 days to pass HR 2550 or the EPA will require that every recreational boat whether a dinghy or a mega yacht have a permit for any water discharges from that vessel including rain water flowing off your decks to your bilge pump.

HR 2550 is written to exclude recreational boats from having a discharge permit.

No time to wait to contact your congressman and senators for their support. You can go to www.BoatUS.com/gov/ HR2550_FAQ.asp for more information.

Tip of the week is to note the large response that I received from last Friday’s column about flag etiquette. Many of you asked about the flag requirements when cruising Internationally, especially to Mexico and Canada.

Well, once you cruise outside the U.S. waters, you may only display the U.S. Ensign (regular flag) internationally, not the Yacht Ensign (13 stars encircling the fouled anchor) or the USPS Ensign.

It is courtesy and, in some nations, law when cruising a foreign nation’s waters to fly the flag of that nation along with your nation’s flag. I have found that marine flag customs in other nations do differ, ranging from not flying the nation’s flag until after checking in with the authorities to having the flag hoisted once you cross over an international boundary line.

If you need flags then stop by a marine retail store, or use Nikki’s Flag Shop on Old Newport Boulevard, and be sure to tell Gil that I sent you.

Safe voyages.

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to [email protected] or go to www.boathousetv.com.