DEP CELEBRATES NATIONAL MARINA DAY AT TIERRA VERDE MARINA

~Department Clean Marina Program supports boaters and businesses statewide~

Tierra Verde Marina in St. Petersburg to recieve recognition Saturday, showing its commitment to environmental stewardship.

ST. PETERSBURG – In recognition of National Marina Day on June 8, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Sustainable Initiatives will host a designation ceremony at Tierra Verde Marina in St. Petersburg on Saturday. The Department also announces creation of the Clean and Resilient Marina Initiative, which helps marinas with emergency preparedness.

On National Marina Day, marinas statewide and around the world highlight the marine industry as a family-friendly gateway to rivers, lakes and oceans, while also recognizing their important role in environmental stewardship and the protection of our waterbodies from pollution as well as ensuring their future health. Marinas throughout Florida will be participating and celebrating in unique ways - visit the list of National Marina Day Florida participants to find a location near you.

"National Marina Day is when marinas can invite the community in order to showcase their facility, the marina lifestyle and all the fun that recreating on the water can bring," said DEP Clean Marina Program Manager Brenda Leonard. "The Clean Marina Program is about protecting Florida's sensitive aquatic ecosystems that are essential to our economy and culture."

Florida has more than one million registered motorized vessels and approximately 2,000 marinas - the largest number of marine facilities in the nation. Drawing millions of visitors each year, Florida's clear waters, world-class beaches and coral reefs help support a $67.2 billion tourism industry, as well as injecting a $16.8 billion boating industry into Florida's businesses and communities.

Tierra Verde Marina is recognized as one of the best examples of environmental stewardship among Florida's marinas. Partnering with Tampa Bay Watch, the marina implements practices that address critical environmental issues such as the protection of sensitive habitats, waste management and spill prevention as well as emergency preparedness. As part of the designation ceremony and in recognition of their efforts toward protecting our ecosystems, Tierra Verde Marina will be presented with a plaque and flag on behalf of the Department.

"Tierra Verde is proud to be a part of the Clean Marina Program," said Julie Audit, Tierra Verde Marina Manager. "Our marina team is very committed to environmental stewardship and this recognition demonstrates our commitment."

In addition to an ongoing investment in clean marinas, the Department has recently partnered with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance to create the Clean and Resilient Marina Initiative. This program centers around the practice of emergency preparedeness of marinas for both wet and dry boat storage. The Department hopes to educate businesses about the best practices to help mitigate damages caused by storms, floods or hurricanes and allow them to return to normal operation as quickly as possible should such an event occur.

To learn more about the Clean and Resilient Marina Initiative, as well as other Clean Marina Program events, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmarina/events.htm.