KINGMAN, Ariz. –– The Arizona Game and Fish Department will participate in a multi-agency enforcement effort on the Colorado River system this weekend, checking for individuals operating under the influence (OUI). 
Game and Fish, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and the National Park Service, will be enforcing Arizona's OUI legal limit of .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 critically important," said Velma Holt-Buhr, west sector supervisor for Game and Fish's regional office in Kingman. "The area is growing quickly, and we share these waterways with California and Nevada. It's becoming very congested, which lends itself to more potential hazards."
Holt-Buhr advises boaters to review requirements in the regulations prior to launching. To avoid some of the more common violations, be sure to have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved lifejacket for each individual on board, a working fire extinguisher and a Type IV throwable personal floatation device (PFD).
Anyone 12 and under must wear a lifejacket at all times.
Additional multi-agency OUI checkpoints will occur on the Colorado River and its reservoirs throughout the boating season.
Game and Fish encourages boaters to take part in a boating education class. For a listing of classes, visit www.azgfd.gov.
Did you know?
The Arizona Game and Fish Department has trust responsibility for managing more than 800 native wildlife species – the most of any inland state – for current and future generations of Arizona citizens. www.azgfd.gov/h_f/northamericanmodel.shtml
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