Nov 19, 2019

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club’s Cadboro Bay marina has earned the highest certification in Clean Marine BC, a voluntary eco-certification program for recreational boating facilities that is run by Georgia Strait Alliance.

To be eligible for Clean Marine BC certification, boating facilities must meet environmental standards set by the program and are awarded a ranking that ranges from one to five anchors. These anchor ratings reflect operational practices and initiatives that help to reduce the impact of recreational boating in local fresh and saltwater throughout British Columbia.

“Environmental stewardship is integrated into virtually everything that we do,” says Royal Victoria Yacht Club (RVYC) General Manager Simon Gatrell. “By having management, staff, members and volunteers onboard with our efforts, we’re able to implement best practices in all aspects of our operations, as well as take on additional projects like the removal of derelict vessels and installing nesting boxes for endangered Purple Martins.”

Georgia Strait Alliance Executive Director Christianne Wilhelmson says; “Cadboro Bay and its marine ecosystems, as well as the interconnected waterways, are all benefitting from the improvements that RVYC made to its facility based on recommendations from its initial Clean Marine BC certification. In just over three years, RVYC has raised its rating from four to five anchors, becoming the eleventh facility to be among the highest ranked.”

With the recertification of RVYC, there are now 32 marinas, boatyards, yacht club facilities, and harbour authority docks that fly the Clean Marine BC flag across the province.