President Obama recently signed a proclamation designating the largest marine reserve in the world and declaring it off limits to commercial resource extraction including commercial fishing. According to an announcement from the White House, the Sept. 25 proclamation expands the existing Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, one of the most pristine tropical marine environments [...]

According to a report by Reuters, a record harvest, low barge availability and a deteriorating lock-and-dam system are putting a strain on U.S. river transportation. Citing years of neglect, industry sources tell the news service the system is only one flood, drought or mechanical breakdown away from calamity. Expanding truck and rail needs of the [...]

A few spots remain open for the Oct. 11 session of the Maryland Boating Career Discovery Day being presented by the Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM), the Eastport Yacht Club Foundation and the Annapolis Boat Shows. The program is being offered as part of the Oct. 9-13 US Sailboat Show in Annapolis; an Oct. [...]

Taking note of the public’s increasing awareness to the dangerous, potentially skin-cancer causing effects of the sun, Marlen Textiles has had its entire line of products reviewed for UPF protection under the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ AATCC 183 testing protocol. After testing, all products were certified as having an Ultraviolet Protection Factor [...]

The Marine Fabricators Association offer dynamic learning experiences designed exclusively for marine fabricators. These regional workshops offer a variety of practical solutions that allow fabricators to focus on what’s most important to their business-exceeding expectations and generating revenue. Among the benefits of attending are: Learning new techniques and tricks of the trade from industry experts [...]

The BoatUS Foundation, along with the Personal Floatation Device Manufacturers Association and the National Marine Manufacturers Association, have teamed up to seek out new technologies and design ideas with the Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition. The competition opened in August. A $10,000 cash award awaits the winning design. Deadline to submit ideas is April [...]

Boating advocates in both the United States and Canada have reached agreement on standards and certifications that will help reduce duplication of work and reduce burdens on boat manufacturers. Transport Canada, the national transportation agency, the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) have developed a Memoranda of Understanding [...]

Emigsville, Pa.-based textile manufacturer Herculite Products Inc., has launched a new website: herculite.com. The company says the new site will feature blog articles and download opportunities for informational product documents and white papers. Herculite makes PVC-based textile composites for the awning, marine, digital media, tent, performance fabrics and healthcare markets.

More than 4 million new anglers took the bait in 2013, adding almost 1 million to the ranks, according to the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) and the Outdoor Foundation’s “2014 Special Report on Fishing.” According to the report, there were 4.1 million newcomers to fishing in 2013, an increase from the 3.5 million [...]

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has announced it is combining the Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show with Strictly Sail Chicago. The event will be known as the Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, RV & Strictly Sail Show and is scheduled for Jan. 14-18, 2015. The association says the combination of the shows is a [...]