On April 18, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers will be allowed open for personal use as long as strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed. Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed, and restaurant activity at these sites must be limited to take-out or delivery only, like anywhere else in the three states.
According to the press release issued by the three gubernatorial amigos, the announcement aligns the policies of the three states on this particular service.
“We’ve committed to working with our regional partners throughout this crisis to align our policies when and where appropriate,” said Governor Murphy. “A unified approach is the most effective way to alleviate confusion for the residents of our states during the ongoing public health emergency.”
“Throughout this pandemic, we’ve worked closely with our friends in neighboring states to implement a uniform regional approach to reducing the spread of the virus,” Governor Cuomo said. “Aligning our polices in this area is another example of that strong partnership, and will help ensure there is no confusion or ‘state shopping’ when it comes to marinas and boatyards.”
“Our states share workforces, resources, public transit, and we all share a connection on the water,” Governor Lamont said. “This is yet another example of how our states have shared interests, which is all the more reason to collaborate on these kinds of decisions. This decision provides uniformity across our marinas.”
Regrettably, the announcement wasn’t exactly as unified as some would’ve hoped. While New York and Connecticut moved forward with the opening of many state parks and state-managed boat ramps, New Jersey sat that part of the deal out. As of April 23, The Fisherman Magazine was still awaiting any official word from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife on state and county park status and the launch ramps within.
