Operation Dry Water In Effect Again This Weekend

The Fourth of July weekend is a great time to get out on the water and have a party, as long as the party doesn't involve alcohol.

The Maine Marine Patrol will be out in force again this holiday weekend to be sure folks are not drinking and driving boats on Maine waters.  They will also be checking to make sure life vests are  in proper use. Operation Dry Water is a national program and will be in the highest enforcement June 30th - July 2nd.

Maine's laws for life vest from the MIFW webpage state:

Life Jackets and Personal Flotation Devices - State law requires each person on board to have a properly-fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved serviceable life jacket. Also, boats longer than 16 feet must have a throwable PFD. The Maine Warden Service recommends that everyone wear his or her lifejackets while on the water.

The officers employed by our state to enforce these laws are trained in law enforcement and certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. These officers are also deputized as National Marine Fisheries Service Federal Enforcement Agents for the purposes of enforcing federal fisheries laws through Joint Enforcement Cooperative Agreements.