Boaters operating vessels on inland waters must purchase AIS stamp, DEEP says
AIS stamps can be purchased through DEEP's Sportsmen Licensing System. It can also be purchased whenever fishing licenses are sold.
Report: Number of traffic stops in Connecticut increase by 14% in 2023
'The spread of nuisance aquatic invasive species is one of the biggest threats to water-based recreation in Connecticut today. The funds collected through the AIS Stamp program brings important resources to this fight,' DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a written statement.
Anyone who answers 'yes' to these two questions is required to purchase a sticker: Are you operating on Connecticut's inland waters, and are you operating a vessel that is required to display a registration decal?
This applies to out-of-state visitors who are boating on inland waters in the state, too.
An individual sticker is $7, while a decal is $25, which is assigned to certain vessels.
For more information, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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CNN
06-08-2025
- CNN
The Coast Guard says the Titan submersible disaster was ‘preventable.' Now the deep-sea industry is looking to the future
FacebookTweetLink A lengthy report released by the US Coast Guard Tuesday identified glaring issues with the Titan submersible and the company that ran it, a little more than two years after five people were killed when the deep-sea craft imploded on its way to the Titanic wreckage. From technical issues to company culture, the over 300-page document detailed the many steps that lead to an epic but 'preventable' disaster and identified valuable lessons that the Coast Guard said could prevent future disasters. The 2023 implosion of the submersible at the bottom of the ocean floor killed all five people on board, including Stockton Rush, the founder and CEO of OceanGate, the company which operated the Titan, and triggered a dayslong international search effort until debris was found. While the report was shocking in its frankness about the mistakes made, industry leader William Kohnen said it 'officializes' longstanding concerns. Kohnen, the president and CEO of HYRDOSPACE Group Inc and a witness in last year's hearings on the Titan submersible, told CNN Tuesday that the issues raised in the report are part of an ongoing conversation in the industry that has existed long before the incident – but is now front and center. As the US Coast Guard's investigation comes to a close, Kohnen, who raised safety concerns to Rush in 2018, reflects on the next steps for a growing industry that caters to both scientific research and ultra-wealthy tourism. The recommendations in Tuesday's report made it clear that better regulations in the submersible industry are essential. 'The two-year investigation has identified multiple contributing factors that led to this tragedy, providing valuable lessons learned to prevent a future occurrence,' Jason Neubauer, the US Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation chair, said in a statement. The MBI, the US Coast Guard's highest level of inquiry, called on the agency to pursue a new regulation requiring all submersibles in the US to be built and maintained under uniform standards. The report cites 'the lack of comprehensive and effective regulations for the oversight and operation' of submersibles designed or operated in the US. In the Titan's case, the MBI found the 'primary contributing factors' to the implosion were OceanGate's 'inadequate design, certification, maintenance and inspection process,' a Coast Guard release said. Kohnen said the need for comprehensive regulation is something the industry has 'been preaching in the desert for 20 years.' As the submersible industry continues to grow, rules are needed much in the same way rules were made during the creation of freeways, he said. 'By the time you have hundreds of cars, somebody came up with a very simple idea of drawing a line in the middle of the road and saying, look, everybody's going to agree that you drive on either side of the line,' Kohnen said. 'That's really what we need to do here.' 'We're not reinventing the wheel. It's just a matter of scrubbing it, making it better, and then engaging other maritime authorities,' he added. Kohnen also advocated for a third-party certification system for the safety of submersibles and their teams, saying it would help keep standards high across borders. Future paid passengers on submersibles will not understand the risk they are taking if the industry continues without mandating third-party certification or other regulations, Kohnen argued. 'A waiver doesn't work if the person signing it cannot give informed consent,' he said, adding, 'Informed consent is just going to get more complicated for the next two generations, because there's so much technology around how do you make sure that a citizen understands the risk they're taking?' Another glaring problem found in the US Coast Guard's report was the 'toxic workplace culture' at OceanGate, instituted by Rush and his management style. Rush held much of the decision-making power as he filled multiple roles within the company, centralizing his power and avoiding checks and balances from the company's board. 'Overall, the MBI believes Mr. Rush deliberately sidelined OceanGate's Board and did not solicit its collective expertise so he could proceed unchecked with his vision to conduct TITANIC expeditions, regardless of any mounting safety concerns,' the report stated. When asked if the culture issues were isolated to OceanGate or reflect an industry-wide concern, Kohnen said he considers this situation a 'civic dereliction of duty.' 'We teach our younger ones to become leaders and push and believe in what they're doing, but that when you are in a position of high-level leadership, you have a huge responsibility not to create chaos,' he said. 'This is really difficult. And I think OceanGate, at the leadership of Stockton (Rush) – it was a problem, and we communicated that with him.' Five years before the implosion, Kohnen, who was at the time the chair of the Marine Technology Society – a group of leading ocean engineers, scientists, policymakers and educators – wrote a letter to Rush on behalf of about 40 other industry leaders expressing concerns with the safety of the Titan submersible. Rush and Kohnen debated some of the key concerns of the letter on a call. Kohnen ultimately convinced the Oceangate CEO to change some of the language on their website to reflect its experimental status, but felt like the public still wouldn't understand that the safety of the submersible hadn't been verified. 'No one was restricting them from innovating and coming up with new technologies,' Kohnen said, arguing OceanGate had the right to dive the submersible on their own without passengers. But putting at risk others who didn't understand the situation is where they crossed the line, he said. Since the submersible's implosion over two years ago, the industry has spent time reflecting on the importance of nailing down a standard across the board, Kohnen said. 'People are paying attention,' he said. He thinks that another important step is making sure different facets of the industry and maritime authorities are connected to one another and build relationships with one another. Being able to call up a colleague and get their opinions on a situation could potentially save lives, he said. 'This five minute conversation can go a long ways into avoiding some big issues,' Kohnen said. 'So just when we think it seems like too dumb to be a real problem, you find out, no, it is a real problem, and it's not as simple to sort out as it appears.' Kohnen said the industry's annual conference will be hosted in the first international location in its history, with the hope of getting more attendance from countries around the world and to encourage international cooperation in regulations. 'It's made a bit more difficult because these vehicles travel across international boundaries,' he said. 'So it's not enough to have just a local or a national solution. It really needs everyone holding hands here and saying, look, we're going to kind of agree that we're looking at these things the same way.'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
Hundreds of CT plants, animals named as having conservation needs. Why it's being talked about now.
Hundreds of native Connecticut species including birds, fish, and mammals are listed among those with the greatest conservation need, according to the newly released 2025 Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan. The plan, which has not yet been finalized, includes over 500 species listed as those with the greatest conservation needs, according to the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The draft includes several new additions like the bog turtle, a species that is listed as critically imperiled in the state. The updated list contains a total of 1,079 species having most important, very important and important conservation needs, officials said. These include 546 plant, 315 invertebrate, 45 fish, 17 amphibian, 18 reptile, 108 bird and 30 mammal species. A draft of the plan was released last week and is open for public comment until July 27, according to officials. See the list here. Since 2005, each state has been required by the federal government to create and submit an updated Wildlife Action Plan every 10 years. The plans serve as blueprints for wildlife conservation at the state level and include regional and national conservation goals, officials said. During the public comment period, anyone can provide feedback on the list of species and habitats in need of conservation, the types of actions they would be most interested in taking in their community or any other part of the plan, DEEP said. The plan helps identify 'species of greatest conservation need' as well as their affiliated habitats and the issues they face. Conservation actions and research needs are then prioritized to conserve these species and habitats. By identifying these priorities, states can better direct conservation, policy and research. When a state's wildlife action plan gets approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, various organizations can apply for federal funding to implement conservation actions outlined in the plan, according to officials. An approved state action plan makes a state eligible for funding through the State Wildlife Grants Program. 'State Wildlife Action Plans are revised every 10 years and are an important means of securing funding for nature conservation. Connecticut's Wildlife Action Plan engages many partner organizations and provides guidance and vision for protecting our wildlife and their habitats into the future,' DEEP's Bureau of Natural Resources said in a statement. The criteria for a species being listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) is that they also are state listed as threatened or endangered, vulnerable to threats based on their biological or habitat needs, low in abundance or limited in distribution, and currently showing declines in abundance or habitat, officials said. In addition, the 2025 plan includes a list of State Assessment Priority Species. SAPS are species that officials say the state needs more information on to understand their status, trends, level of conservation concern and whether or not they should be classified as SGCN. Hundreds of species are now listed as State Assessment Priority Species. DEEP officials said that species having a status of SGCN or SAPS does not provide a species with any legal protection but helps focus attention on vulnerable plants and animals, catalyze research on data-deficient species and guide conservation efforts. Ideally, strategic conservation efforts will help declining species recover before they meet criteria for being listed as threatened or endangered. 'A draft list of SGCN and SAPS for the 2025 revision was developed based on recommendations from CT's top wildlife and plant experts. We collected public input on that draft list during the spring of 2024,' DEEP said in a statement. Among the wildlife experts that helped form the list includes a group of researchers in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Connecticut, according to UConn Today. The UConn team is also developing a web-enabled plan with interactive resources for towns and community partners. Part of the work being done includes interactive maps and species profiles and is scheduled to be released later this year. For more information on the Connecticut Wildlife Action Plan, go to Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Yahoo
Michiganders love the Great Lakes. So do invasive species. What to watch for
While Michiganders are heading north or elsewhere to celebrate the Fourth of July, state officials are urging them to keep an eye out for invasive pests and plants, and take steps to avoid helping them spread farther. 'Preventing the spread of invasive species in our waterways is as simple as cleaning, draining, and drying all boats, trailers and gear between uses,' Kevin Walters said, aquatic biologist, water resources division, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy June 27 release. Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week in Michigan, June 29-July 5, reminds residents the importance of cleaning, washing, drying and disinfecting their boats, trailers and other water equipment. 'AIS Awareness Week is a good reminder that if we all do our part, we can lessen the impact of invasive species in Michigan," Walters said. Michigan's Invasive Species Watch List includes 10 invasive aquatic plants, six that have been detected in the state, and five aquatic animals, three of which have been detected. "Public awareness about the impacts of harmful, nonnative aquatic plants and animals is critical to protecting Michigan's ecosystems, tourism and economy," the release said. Three aquatic animals of particular concern in Michigan include grass carp, New Zealand mudsnail and the red swamp crayfish. Officials say understanding how to identify and report an invasive species can help reduce their numbers to keep Michigan's ecosystems balanced. In addition, officials have organized more than 50 events in Michigan throughout the week to provide boaters and anglers tips on how to prevent the spread of unwelcome aquatic plants and animals. Here's how to identify the three aquatic invasive species already detected in Michigan: One of four invasive carp species, the grass carp has been detected in the Great Lakes and other bodies of water, and remains on the watch list. Grass carp are native to eastern Asia, Russia and China. In Michigan, they are dispersed by unauthorized stocking or release and by escaping commercial farming, according to Michigan Invasive Species program. Grass carp are dangerous to Michigan's aquatic ecosystem because they contribute to algal blooms (which is an excessive growth of algae in a body of water, per the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) and destroying habitats used by native species. For instance, they disrupt weed beds which are native species' spawning or nursey beds. Here are characteristics of the grass carp to help residents identify this species: Can reach lengths of more than 5 feet, weight can reach more than 80 pounds. Eyes sit even with the mouth. Large scales that appear crosshatched. Shorter dorsal fin than goldfish or common carp. The other invasive carp species on Michigan's watch list are the silver carp, bighead carp and black carp none of which have been detected in the state. One of the two invasive crayfish on Michigan's watch list, the red swamp crayfish is native to the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast, and has been detected in Michigan. The red swamp crayfish poses threats to Michigan's aquatic ecosystem because they "compete aggressively with native crayfish species for food and habitat," based on Michigan's Invasive Species program. In Michigan, they have been introduced and spread via commercial farming, classroom or labratory release, live bait dumping and through fish stocking events. They live in a variety of freshwater habitats and burrow deep into the ground leaving behind a mound of dirt with a entry point in the center. Here are characteristics of the red swamp crayfish (also called the Louisiana crawfish) to help residents identify the species: Dark red color with bright red raised spots, they resemble a small lobster. Elongated claws and bony exoskeleton. Elongated head with a triangular rostrum. From 2.2 inches to 4.7 inches in length. The other invasive crayfish on Michigan's watch list is the marble crayfish and they have not yet been detected in the state. "New Zealand mudsnails can be transported on boats, anchors and fishing gear such as waders and nets. Because of their small size and ability to survive out of water for several days, it is important to carefully decontaminate boats and gear between uses," the Michigan Invasive Species program said. Native to New Zealand, the snail a small yet adaptable invasive species and has been detected in the Great Lakes, Au Sable River, Boardman River, Grass River, Marquette River, Pine River and Upper Manistee River. This invasive species is dangerous to Michigan aquatic ecosystem due to its rapid cloning reproduction. They take over food sources leaving, little for native invertebrates, and they make it difficult for fish to find food. Here are characteristics of the New Zealand mudsnail to help residents identify the species: Small snail, averaging 1/8 inch long. Right-side opening with 5-6 whorls on shell (spiral pattern). Shells vary from light brown to black. Difficult to identify. According to Michigan's Invasive Species Program, each species has a particular official (and number) to contact found under that species' profile. Residents are encouraged to take photos and report when and where the species was spotted. In addition, residents can use the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network online reporting tool, or download the MISIN app to report on-the-go. Here is the full list of aquatic plant species on the watch list: Brazilian elodea European water-clover (detected in Michigan) Hydrilla (detected in Michigan) Parrot feather (detected in Michigan) Water chestnut Water hyacinth Water lettuce (detected in Michigan) Water-primrose (detected in Michigan) Water soldier Yellow floating heart (detected in Michigan) Here is the full list of aquatic fish and animal species on the watch list: Invasive carp: silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp (detected in Michigan) and black carp. Marbled crayfish New Zealand mudsnail (detected in Michigan) Northern snakehead Red swamp crayfish (detected in Michigan) Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@ This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week. Prevent their spread in Michigan
