Information and Resources to help you navigate Covid-19

We here at US Harbors are collecting all the information we can to help you through these strange times.

The situation around the country, and the world, is changing at a rapid rate. We endeavor to keep our information up to date and relevant. Please be aware that regulations do vary from state to state. You can find all our Covid-19 related news under this tag /covid-19

Is Boating a Safe Social Distancing Activity?

In most circumstances, boating is a safe activity in terms of limiting infection. Please be aware of the specific rules at the local marina or town boat ramp – getting into the water can be the most high risk part of the boating trip, depending on how busy the boat launch area is. Please also take into consideration who accompanies you on your boat. It is advised to limit boat passengers to those already in your household. Some states have a limit on the number of people allowed on a boat.

Once out on the water, maintain distance from other boats, and be extra vigilant of those in the water around you. Boaters, as a type, are generally very safety conscious, and that attitude is just as important now as it ever is. Every prevented accident is one less thing that our brave key workers have tackle – keeping the resources available to deal with the covid-19 pandemic.

More rules, tips and advice can be found here: Must-Know Rules for 2020 Summer Boating During COVID 19

Where Can I Go Boating?

 

What Boat Ramps are Open in My Area?

 

What events are still going on?

Many events have been cancelled to limit spread of the coronavirus. Some are able to transition to a virtual. online version of the event, and some are postponed till later in the year, or the following year altogether. We are still posting events on our site, however we encourage you to check directly with the organizer before attending. You can see all the events here: usharbors.com/event-listings/

Help for Coastal Businesses

We are posting updates from any and all coastal business, organization or local authority. If you want to get word out to boaters in your area, you can submit news for our weekly update here: usharbors.com/supporting-our-coastal-businesses/

Health & Safety Filter

Image Credits: Noaa fisheries.

Meet Hawaii Fish Company, Tilapia Farmers in Hawaiʻi

10/4/2026

By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. For husband and wife duo Ron and and Estralita Weidenbach, fish farming is a family business. The couple met in the 1970s while Ron was consulting at the East West Center in Honolulu and the World Bank, focusing on sustainable aquaculture projects in Asia. Estralita was a… SEE MORE

NOAA Fisheries and Sea Quester Farms partnered up to evaluate if kelp farms provide habitat for marine life in Alaska. Pictured here is one of Sea Quester’s farms in southeast Alaska near Juneau. Credit: Hatch Blue, Alaska Mariculture Cluster

Kelp Farms and Marine Life Co-Exist in Southeast Alaska

10/3/2026

By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Marine aquaculture, or mariculture, provides economic opportunities for coastal communities in Alaska through farming shellfish and seaweed. NOAA Fisheries continues to support Alaska’s growing aquaculture industry through policy and permitting—providing access to resources and research. A recent study highlights one of our newest aquaculture research collaborations. Through this… SEE MORE

Image Credits: Noaa Fisheries.

Celebrate National Seafood Month

10/2/2026

By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. As we welcome autumn, we also celebrate National Seafood Month! Join us all month long to celebrate sustainable seafood with new feature stories, recipes, videos, and more. There’s a lot to celebrate because—aside from being scrumptious—seafood is good for you, good for the economy, and good for… SEE MORE

boats docks in a harbor from above

Newport Boat Show 2026: Award Winners, New Boats and a Castle Hill Sunset

9/30/2026

By US Harbors The weather was perfect as the US Harbors crew arrived in Newport on Thursday for the opening day of the 55th Newport International Boat Show. The show marks the unofficial start of the fall boat show season, and part of its appeal is that it’s just steps… SEE MORE

Image Credits: Flickr.com.

Concrete Ships Hiding in Plain Sight: The Forgotten Breakwaters of America's Harbors

9/11/2026

By Jordan Hanssen, best4boats. There’s a good chance a concrete ship is lurking in your local harbor — and you’ve never noticed. Built during both World Wars when steel was scarce, concrete vessels served as tankers, barges, and cargo carriers before finding a remarkably durable second life as breakwaters in… SEE MORE

Image Credits: Flickr.com.

Is Offshore Construction Noise Stressing New England's Lobsters? WHOI Scientists Want to Know

9/8/2026

By Kiran Johnson, whoi.edu. As offshore wind farms multiply along the New England coast, a question with real consequences for one of the region’s most valuable fisheries is getting its first rigorous scientific investigation: does the noise from wind farm construction affect the American lobster? WHOI scientists are working alongside… SEE MORE

The image depicts two individuals on the deck of a research vessel at sea, engaged in deploying a piece of oceanographic equipment that measures temperature and depth

Why NOAA Matters: Maine's Island Institute Makes the Case

7/30/2026

Why NOAA Matters: Maine’s Island Institute Makes the Case Every mariner who checks a forecast before leaving the dock, every harbormaster tracking a king tide, and every fishing family checking for water temperature shifts is relying, often without thinking about it, on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, commonly shortened… SEE MORE

Fontaine (center) frequently demonstrated seafood recipes on television programs. (Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)

Lights, Camera, Seafood! Bertha Fontaine and the Fisheries Test Kitchen

7/25/2026

By Noaa.gov, noaa.gov. The scene: Boxy television cameras point toward a brightly lit table. Plates of meticulously styled seafood ingredients sit between charming decorations. With her hair in a voluminous bouffant, an energetic woman in a neat dress and a long strand of pearls speaks to the camera in a… SEE MORE