Game and Fish advises: Boat safe, boat smart, boat sober

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will be part of a multi-agency enforcement effort on the Colorado River system over the May 18-19 weekend, checking for individuals operating under the influence (OUI).

Arizona Game and Fish, Nevada Division of Wildlife, National Park Service, Bullhead City Police Department, and Kingman Police Department, will be enforcing Arizonas OUI legal limit of a .08 blood-alcohol content.

All boaters passing through the checkpoint will be subject to a systematic safety inspection this weekend. Operators will be checked for alcohol impairment and required safety equipment, such as proper life jackets and working fire extinguishers.

The responsibility for boating safety among watercraft users is becoming increasingly important on our waterways, said Velma Holt-Buhr, west sector supervisor for the Game and Fish Region 3 office in Kingman. The area is growing quickly and we share these waterways with California and Nevada. Its becoming very congested, which lends itself to more potential hazards.

Holt-Buhr advises boaters to review requirements in the regulations prior to launching.

Additional multi-agency OUI checkpoints will occur on the Colorado River and its reservoirs throughout the boating season.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department encourages boaters to take part in a boating education class. Interested parties can look for available classes on the department website, www.azgfd.gov.   back...