What you can do

Living Sustainably

Recreation

Boating

Boating is a wonderful pastime and part of the great Australian dream. To keep our waterways and marine life safe, some everyday things you can do to preserve the environment:

Ensure your engine is in good working order – make sure your boat and its engines are in good working order and check for any oil or fuel leakages at the beginning of each trip
Cut down the noise – noise pollution can be a nuisance to others and disturbing to the environment. Understand and obey noise restrictions – they apply to both engine noise and amplified music, and the time and area in which you are boating. Find out more, visit the NSW Maritime Authority
Don't create excessive waves near the shore – high speeds in shallow waters cause excessive wash. This causes bank erosion and also disturbs sensitive river or seabed environments, harming aquatic plants and bottom-dwelling organisms
Take care where you anchor – particularly around seagrass beds and other sensitive areas as these are important fish habitats
Protect marine plants and animals – observe sensitive habitat and distance restrictions around marine mammals, such as migrating whales. Remember discarded plastic bags and fishing lines are deadly to marine animals – collect and safely dispose of them onshore
Report injured marine and wildlife – to your local wildlife group or the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Rescuers have developed techniques for capturing most injured creatures even injured birds that are capable of full flight
Use onboard holding tanks for human waste – install an approved onboard sewage treatment system or holding tank. On small craft this could be as simple as using a portable caravan or camping toilet. Use pump-out facilities at marinas and wharfs to collect and dispose of human waste
Stow all loose items – what you take, you should bring back. Make sure everything onboard is secured to avoid anything flying overboard such as plastic bags, drink cans, packaging and other articles
Avoid toxic cleaning and painting products – purchase non-toxic products at your local marine supply store. Use phosphate-free and environmentally friendly detergents. Dilute these with water, as detergents can be irritating to human skin and toxic to aquatic life, even at low concentrations
Take your rubbish with you – collect all your rubbish onboard and dispose of it properly ashore, including cigarette butts. Pick up any other rubbish that you see that may not be yours. Items such as six-pack rings, sandwich bags, cigarette butts and fishing line do not break down in water. Floating plastic causes harm by entangling, and even choking, marine creatures, damaging boat propellers, clogging water intakes and littering shorelines
Limit water use in sinks and showers – use low or non-phosphate soaps and wipe off cooking utensils and plates with paper towels before washing
Clean your boat on shore – cleaning your boat has an effect on the environment. Remove your boat from the water and clean it where debris can be captured and disposed of properly. Make sure you use low toxic cleaning products and phosphate-free and environmentally friendly detergents. Keep bilges clean to prevent pollutants being discharged overboard. Use an absorbent mat in the bilge to clean up oily water and dispose of appropriately.