Anglers and boaters are always looking for the “right” waters to ensure that they have a safe and fun experience, whether it’s a satisfying bend of the fishing rod or just pulling the kids around the lake on a float. But we often take the access to those “right” waters for granted. As the human population increases and impacts the environment in unexpected ways, we all must do our part to ensure our rivers, lakes and oceans remain healthy.
The Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit is doing its part through Yamaha Rightwaters™, a marine-industry-leading sustainability initiative with four focus areas: working to clean marine environments; managing the threat from invasive species; restoring and creating marine habitats; and supporting academic marine research. Here are some partnerships and projects currently underway that will produce measurable positive outcomes in these focus areas:
A Coastal Conservation Association® (CCA®)/Harte Research Institute (Texas A&M University®) study will quantify the amount of carbon a living oyster can sequester. This data will allow Yamaha, CCA® and other conservation organizations to scale future oyster-restoration reef projects to sequester measurable, certifiable amounts of carbon, thereby combating ocean acidification while also creating essential fish habitat.
Yamaha Rightwaters is working with Gevo®, a U.S. producer of sustainable fuels, to advance the use of isobutanol gasoline blends in outboard engines. Isobutanol is a type of renewable biofuel that recycles carbon instead of using “fossil carbon” or carbon that has long been stored within the Earth in the form of oil, natural gas and coal deposits.
The Billion Oyster Project® is restoring oyster reefs to New York Harbor in collaboration with New York City communities. Activities include rearing oysters in four nurseries, planting oysters in suitable areas, and using the project as a STEM teaching opportunity. To date, the organization has introduced 75 million oysters to the harbor with the participation of more than 6,000 students.
The Ducks Unlimited® Gulf Coast Initiative aims to restore more than 78,000 acres in coastal Louisiana and Texas. In addition to the habitat benefits for fish and wildlife, this project will also help filter nitrates from agricultural runoff while sequestering tons of carbon dioxide each year.
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership® has empaneled a group of experts to research and report on the harm caused by aquatic invasive species in the United States. The finished product will be presented on Capitol Hill with a request for comprehensive legislative action.
The Coastal Conservation Association® Maryland (CCAMD) Aquatic Invasive Species Count is part fishing tournament, part citizen-science project. It plans to document the occurrence of snakehead, blue catfish and flathead catfish, all of which are invasive to Chesapeake Bay. These species negatively impact economically important native species, such as blue crabs and striped bass, through predation and competition for food and habitat.
Remember to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal flotation device and protective gear.
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