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SAN JUAN, PR. - The Coast Guard and local law enforcement agencies will partner up Friday through Sunday as part of Operation Dry Water, a nationwide initiative to enforce boating under the influence (BUI) including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Operation Dry Water is an enforcement effort created by a partnership between the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the Coast Guard. It is designed to highlight the dangers of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Participating agencies include:
-- Coast Guard, Sector San Juan
-- Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission, Southeast/Caribbean Region
-- Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Branch
-- Puerto Rico Maritime Police Joint Forces for Rapid Action (F.U.R.A.)
-- Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
The Coast Guard and participating agencies will be out in full force looking for boat operators whose blood alcohol content exceeds the national limit of 0.08 percent.
"The public needs to understand the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” said Lt. Kaleb Perez, Deputy of Enforcement, Sector San Juan. “We want to educate our boaters on the negative impacts boating under the influence poses to people’s safety. Our goal is to prevent accidents in the water and maintain the number of alcohol related fatalities to a minimum”.
Boating under the influence is illegal in all 50 states and territories. Boaters found to be boating under the influence can expect severe penalties, which include fines and possible arrest.
BUI enforcement is just as important as highway patrol officers arresting drunk drivers. Recreational boating accidents are second only to highway accidents in the number of transportation fatalities.
For more information on Operation Dry water, visit http://operationdrywater.org.
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