Clean - Drain - Dry Practices: Protecting Oregon’s Waterways
DRAIN water from your motor, live well, bilge, and inside compartments on land before leaving the waterbody. For paddlecraft, flip or tilt the craft to let the water drain. Open any compartments and remove seats if necessary. Rinse or flush under the flooring, at inflation chamber joints, or in other areas that can trap mud and debris.
CLEAN all aquatic plants, animals, and mud from your boat, motor, or trailer and discard them in the trash. Rinse, scrub, or pressure wash away from storm drains, ditches, or waterways. Lawns, gravel pads, or self-serve car washes are best.
DRY your boat between uses. Leave compartments open and sponge out standing water. Find a place that will allow the anchor line to dry.
AND "Pull the Plug" if your boat has a drain plug. "Aquatic" life need water to survive. Mussels are a particular threat because they can close their shells and survive out of water for a long time.
These practices done together are the best defense against spreading any invaders already in our waterways. Boat inspection stations are another defense to any invaders trying to cross the border by hitch-hiking on a boat, motor, trailer, etc.
Study the pictures here and report any you find to the toll-free Oregon Invasive Species hotline: 1-866-INVADER.
ALSO:
Empty your bait bucket on land before leaving the waterbody. Releasing live bait, aquatic animals, or plants into a waterbody is illegal.
Paddlecraft and Out-of-State Motorized Boats Require Permits
All boaters who operate paddlecraft, including inflatable versions of kayaks, rafts, and stand up paddleboards, will be required to stop for inspection and purchase a Waterway Access Permit. Failure to show the permit to law enforcement can lead to a $115 fine.
Are you an out-of-state visitor wanting to boat in Oregon? If you own an out-of-state motorboat or sailboat with an auxiliary motor, you need to
buy an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Permit. Out-of-state motorboat owners who do not have a
$30 out-of-state AIS permit can be fined $50.
There is an additional $1.50 portal provider fee when purchasing a permit through the Marine Board's store.
Visit:
Boat.Oregon.gov/store to purchase a 7-day permit, annual permit, or two-year permit. ODFW also offers all three permit options through their
eLicensing System,
license agents, or
ODFW field offices.
Mandatory Boat Inspection Stations
All Boaters (transporting motorized or nonmotorized boats) are REQUIRED to stop if the inspection station is OPEN.
Inspection teams are made up of specially trained personnel employed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ALL boaters (both motorized and non-motorized watercrafts) are required to stop at designated roadside inspection stations.
Inspection teams will look inside and outside boats (including kayaks and canoes mounted on vehicle racks) for invasive species. Any area capable of storing water for extended periods of time is inspected.
Inspections take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. If a motorized boat passes the inspection, the driver is given an inspection report. This is proof of compliance and is a receipt of the inspection. If a boat is found to have any aquatic invasive species, the inspection team will decontaminate the craft on-site. This could take anywhere between 20 minutes to 1 hour. Inspectors will show the boater how to
Clean, Drain, and Dry the watercraft before launching into Oregon waterways (see infographic above).
Inspection stations are set up at the points of entry into Oregon and also at random locations.
Failure to stop at an inspection station could result in a fine of $115 fine.
ORS 830.990: 1. Violation of ORS 830.565 by a person operating a sailboat 12 feet in length or a motorboat on the waters of this state without first obtaining an aquatic invasive species prevention permit is punishable by a fine of $50. 2. Violation of the requirement to carry a Waterway Access Permit is punishable by a fine of $115.
The cost of an out-of-state permit is $30. For non-motorized boats and sailboats less than 12 feet in length, a Waterway Access Permit is required.
Oregon Revised Statutes for Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention
SECTION 1. ORS 570.855
570.855 (1) The State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Marine Board, and the State Department of Agriculture may require a person operating or transporting a recreational or commercial watercraft to stop at a check station for the purpose of inspecting the watercraft for the presence of aquatic invasive species:
[(b)] (2) The Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Marine Board, and the State Department of Agriculture may decontaminate, or recommend decontamination of any recreational or commercial watercraft that is inspected at a check station operated under the authority of this section.
[(2)] (3) All check stations operated under the authority of this section must be plainly marked by signs that comply with all state and federal laws and must be staffed by at least one uniformed employee of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Marine Board or the State Department of Agriculture trained in inspection and decontamination of recreational or commercial watercraft.