July 9, 2020
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is now in effect. Under USMCA, there are no changes to the rules of origin for recreational marine engines and boats. However, importers will have to provide information in a new “certification of origin” to prove origin of goods and claim preferential tariff treatment. The certification can be completed by the …
July 8, 2020
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1061 into law, which creates the new Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve and protects about 400,000 acres of seagrass in the state’s waters. Off Florida’s west coast, seagrass beds stretch for miles and for decades have supported a significant part of the regional economy. The Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve off …
July 2, 2020
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) posted a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020, which was signed into law by President Trump on June 5, 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, SBA also published a new EZ version of the forgiveness application …
June 25, 2020
U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced $32.8 million in grants–with an additional non-federal match of $21.9 million–for states and communities to support outdoor recreation and help boaters keep America’s waters clean. The funding comes from the Clean Vessels Act (CVA) program and the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program which provide funding to …
June 18, 2020
Spradling International, a supplier of soft-surface products to the marine and RV industries, announced that the American Boatbuilders Association Inc. (ABA), a leading buying groups for independent builders, has awarded Spradling the Preferred ABA Supplier of Choice contract for upholstery vinyl and related products. The renewed agreement extends from July 1, 2020 through June 30, …
June 11, 2020
Top Value Fabrics, an employee-owned, international supplier of industrial, print media, apparel, and home décor fabric founded in 1974, is rebranding itself as TVF. With the new name comes a new logo and visual recognition for the company. The mark of interwoven threads represents fabric and how products and services weave together to help TVF …
June 10, 2020
America’s marine economy, including goods and services, contributed about $373 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2018 and grew faster than the nation’s economy as a whole, according to the marine economy statistics released last week by two Department of Commerce agencies. “These statistics are the first-of-its-kind estimate of the U.S. marine economy, …
June 4, 2020
With news of Canada’s pleasure boating restrictions being lifted and the season ramping up, DiscoverBoating.ca has launched two new pages to help Canadian boaters find the latest information on enjoying boating while navigating COVID-19 guidelines. Boating During COVID-19 features guidelines set by Transport Canada and includes helpful, printable infographics for National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) …
May 28, 2020
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is continuing to release final 2019 data from the annual Statistical Abstract. The following sections have just been made available on NMMA.org: Powerboat Sales Trends; Cruiser, Watersport, Fishing Boat & Trailer Sales Trends; and Boat & Engine Exports and Imports. Data from the sales trends reports show more than …
May 21, 2020
Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Everglades National Park is increasing recreational access. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service wide with federal, state and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach …
