We had NJ State Police Marine Unit Trooper Brown out to our Delegate Meeting on April 7^th and he spoke IN DEPTH on the New Jersey boating Law concerning The Boating Safety Certificate.

I am no expert on this but this is what was explained to me in my conversations with Troopr Brown before the meeting and after the meeting …. I will try to put it as plainly as possible....

The Delaware River was described as a common highway for Pa & NJ boaters.  Pa boaters have to follow Pa laws on the river - NJ boaters have to follow NJ laws on the river.  HOWEVER once PA boaters travel up creeks into NJ waters or NJ boaters travel up into PA waters they must follow that states laws.

NJ RESIDENTS:
* NJ requires ALL NJ resident that boat on non tidal waters to have an endorsement on their drivers license (DL) - again this is for NON TIDAL WATERS - to get this they have to have a Safe Boating Cert. and pay an fee to have their DL endorsed. All NJ Resident are required to have a Boating Safety Certificate - just because you have the BOAT endorsement on your DL does not mean you are OK - that is not acceptable for Tidal Waters.

* NJ requires that ALL NJ RESIDENTS take a course given by an instructor that is approved by the state of NJ 

* You can take an opt-out test until June 1, 2009

* Not all NASBLA Courses are acceptable for NJ residents - it depends on whether the course giver is a NJ state approved course giver.  Before you agree to sign up for a course make sure the giver is state approved - you can call the Marine Unit to find out. 

PENNA RESIDENTS:
* The blue card you have from the Penna Fish & Boat Comm. is good IRREGARDLESS of whether you have a (P) on it or not.  The (P) stands for proctored and is next to the Course type on the front of the blue card.

* All USCG, USCGA, NASBLA courses will be accepted by NJ for OUT OF STATE NJ BOATERS ONLY.  We were told that if Penna accepts the card then NJ will accept it as well.

* Pa residents in NJ non tidal waters are required to have something equivalent to their Boating Safety Cert from the state of Pa. ( the little blue card will work for this ) .  For Pa residents in tidal waters they need 1 of 3 items ... 1- written proof of completion of a boating safety course from a NASBLA, USCG or USCGA approved course,  2- Boating Safety Cert or 3 - any Pa state approved boating safety cert.  -  bottom line here the little blue card will be fine for both tidal and non tidal waters.

* Fines and penalties will be $100 for the first offense and will go up with each offense.

* Here is a link that should you have any questions regarding this law ...  http://www.njsp.org/maritime/faq.html

Please feel free to contact NJ State Police Marine Unit should the website not give you the answers that you require but the bottom line is all Penna Boaters should consider taking a course if you haven't already.  Here is a contact link for them...  http://www.njsp.org/maritime/msb-location.html