Copper Reduction ProgramRecreational boating is a popular pasttime in Southern California, where the bays and harbors are filled with thousands of boats. While this leisure activity brings significant benefit to California's economy, it can also cause environmental challenges.
Water quality impacts from copper-based hull paints have been identified in marina basins throughout California. The copper in the paint is a biocide that leaches into the water, causing contamination that is harmful to marine life, including fish and sea lions.
A biocide is a substance that slows or stops the growth of living things. When applied to boat hulls, biocides reduce the growth of barnacles and other organisms that can hamper boat performance. The copper biocide in hull paints acts similarly to pesticides used on lawns to prevent infestations of insects or weeds.
In San Diego Bay, Shelter Island Yacht Basin has been identified as an area where high copper levels exceed federal and state standards. A regulatory order requires the Port of San Diego, marinas, yacht clubs, hull cleaners and boaters to reduce copper pollution in this area by 76 percent by 2022.
The Port is taking actions to promote a clean bay and clean marinas. It recently developed a Copper Reduction Program comprised of these five categories:
Members of San Diego's boating community are invited to a one-of-a-kind expo where they can learn about eco-friendly hull paints and grant funding available to help make the switch.
The Port of San Diego will host its 3rd annual Eco-Friendly Hull Paint Expo on March 16, 2013, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Shelter Island Boat Yard, 2330 Shelter Island Drive in San Diego.
The Port of San Diego is announcing new financial incentives to encourage boat owners who moor on Shelter Island to switch to eco-friendly hull paints.
An existing program provides a cost offset for the removal, or stripping, of copper hull paint; new grant funding now also encompasses up to 75-percent of the cost to apply eco-friendly paint.
Boat owners can choose one of two options.
The majority of businesses whose divers clean the hulls of boats while in the water are complying with a Port of San Diego ordinance that was implemented about one year ago. The measure is among the Port's environmental initiatives to ensure a clean San Diego Bay and marinas.
An update was provided to the Board of Port Commissioners, which unanimously approved two changes to the in-water hull cleaning ordinance. The changes were approved by the Commissioners at a regular Board meeting on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.
Robert Watson was looking to have his boat go "green" and is already seeing the benefits. As the first boat owner at Kona Kai Marina to use the Port of San Diego's Hull Paint Conversion grant funds and switch to an eco-friendly hull paint, the Kona Kai Marina rewarded Watson with one month of free slip rent.
"We encourage positive environmental actions and wanted to recognize these actions by offsetting the expense of a haul-out at a boatyard," said Peter Taliercio, Marina Manager of the 515-slip Kona Kai Marina on Shelter Island.
More than 60 local boat owners attended an eco-friendly hull paint expo recently, sponsored by the Port of San Diego.
Boaters, hull paint manufacturers of environmentally-friendly products, San Diego Bay boatyard representatives and Port Environmental and Land Use Management staff came together on Saturday, April 21, at Nielsen Beaumont Premier Yachtworks on Shelter Island.
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Hull Paint Expo 2013 (2.4 MB)