Local marina achieves CLEAN status
Snook Bight Yacht Club & Marina has become the newest participant in the Florida Clean Marina Program, according to Jennifer Stan Diaz of the state Department of Environmental Protection Agency. The local marina at 4765 Estero Blvd. joins Fish-Tale Marina as the only businesses on Fort Myers Beach to achieve the prestigious designation. Both tied in the best marina category at the 2009 Best of Beach Awards, which was sponsored by The Beach Observer/Bulletin.
Snook Bight is the 225th Clean Marina in the state, the 45th marina in the South District and the seventh marina in Lee County to accomplish the feat. It adds 74 wet slips, 160 dry racks and a pumpout to the Clean Marina community. Fish-Tale Marina was designated as a Clean Marina on July 1, 2003, and has maintained its designation since.
Snook Bight Owner Joe Yerkes said the property was bought in 2004 and construction began in 2006, following two years of permitting. The marina was opened two years later in November of 2008, and Bayfront Bistro -its onsite restaurant- was completed and opened in January of 2009.
“We are very proud to have earned the Clean Marina Designation from the DEP,” said Yerkes. “When we bought this property in 2004, it was run down and failing. We made the commitment to tear it all down and rebuild it into the finest marina and restaurant destination in Southwest Florida. Allied to that was our determination and promise to the Town of Fort Myers Beach that we would earn the Clean Marina Designation. I believe we have accomplished all of our goals with this and the wonderful success of Snook Bight and Bayfront Bistro. The Clean Marina Designation along with the Florida Neighbor Award from the National Restaurant Association, I believe, are important recognitions of our dedication to our environment and community.”
Yerkes went on to compliment the employees of Snook Bight Yacht Club & Marina.
“All of our staff in both operations deserve a tremendous amount of credit for their hard work and dedication,” he said.
The Florida DEP agency also extended congratulations to the marina’s general manager, Larry Sincoskie, and the staff at Snook Bight Yacht Club & Marina for their hard work in obtaining this designation as well as noting recognition to the review team of Laura Comer, DEP Clean Marina coordinator; Joy Hazell, extension agent, University of Florida Sea Grant; and Rhonda Haag, Outreach/Ombudsman for DEP.
According to DEP’s standards for Clean Marina designation, a facility must meet the environmental criteria outlined in the Florida Clean Marina Program guidebook. It contains information and comprehensive action plans for a marina, boatyard and marine retailer programs. Once a facility has completed its action plan and satisfied the requirements, representatives from DEP and the Clean Boating Partnership perform an on-site assessment to confirm. The results of the assessment are then forwarded to the program manager and the facility is notified of its designation.
The three categories of environmental criteria include:
1. Environmental Management
Compliance with environmental regulations and submerged land lease, and using best management practices determined from the self-assessment checklist and designation review.
Available resource person at the marina to provide customers with environmental information, and who can be contacted for inquires about the Clean Marina Program and environmental issues pertinent to the marina.
Adequate and well-managed trash/garbage and recycling containers.
Post for viewing, or otherwise publish, a set of environmental policies used by the marina.
2. Marina Environmental Quality
Water and land of the marina must be clean without signs of oil, sewage or litter.
Marinas will encourage boaters not to discharge sewage into the waters of their facilities or waters of the state.
Raw sewage discharge is prohibited.
Services of a Clean Marina
Marinas will provide clean restroom facilities and access to drinking water.
Docks and grounds shall be well maintained for safety and appearance.
All marina personnel are regularly trained on marina environmental policies and procedures.
All Clean Marine Retailer facilities will provide environmental education at the time of sale of new or used boats to the buyer. This education will consist of a “Welcome Boater Package” to be provided by the facility.
Florida DEP states the Florida Clean Marina Program is “a voluntary designation program with a proactive approach to environmental stewardship. To become designated as a Clean Marina, facilities must implement a set of environmental measures designed to protect Florida’s waterways. These measures address critical environmental issues such as sensitive habitat, waste management, stormwater control, spill prevention and emergency preparedness. Designated facilities and those facilities seeking designation receive ongoing technical support from the Florida Clean Marina program and the Clean Boating partnership.”
“Clean water is vital to Florida’s environment and economy,” said DEP Secretary Michael Sole. “Clean marinas, Clean boatyards and Clean marine retailers lead the way in protecting this precious resource.”
-information for the story was provided by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Agency