Today’s gas station pumps no longer provide clear and transparent information to help consumers make the right fuel choice. Dispensing pumps have become a marketer’s dream, chock full of attention-grabbing video screens blasting amplified sound that visually plaster a captive audience with a mishmash of eye-catching advertisements from two-for-one coffee to $1 hot dogs.

With all that distraction and summer boating season kicking off this Memorial Day weekend, it’s reminded boaters that it may take a little more effort to ensure the right fuel goes into the tank. The key to that is knowing that recreational boats are not approved for gasoline blends containing more than 10% ethanol (E10) and a little orange warning sticker may be the best indicator on the pump to help make the right fuel choice.

“Fuel is a significant part of a boater’s budget, so finding savings is important,” said BoatUS manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. “However, fuel retailers market E15 (15% ethanol) fuel, such as ‘regular 88’ or ‘unleaded 88’ as a lower cost alternative to E10.”

BoatUS notes that recreational vessels are never compatible with E15. It is not permitted by federal law to use E15 fuel in boats (as well as motorcycles, off-road vehicles and power equipment). It voids the engine warranty, and it has been proven to cause damage to marine engines. Recreational vessel engines may only use gasoline containing no more than 10% ethanol (E10). Any pump dispensing E15 fuel must have an approved orange warning label.

Results from a 2020 Outdoor Power Equipment Institute poll showed that only about one in five consumers know that “regular 88” or 88 octane fuel has more ethanol (15%) in it than 87 octane (10% ethanol) fuel. On top of that, the availability of ethanol fuels during the summer increased last year when a Clean Air Act waiver authorized the sale of gasoline containing 15% ethanol from June 1 to Sept. 15. BoatUS has also fought efforts to weaken pump labeling rules.

“More than ever, boat owners need to check the pump for the orange warning label denoting a higher-blend ethanol fuel,” added Kennedy. “We also need to continue to get the word out to educate boaters about the right fuel for their boats. Using the wrong fuel could end up costing you more than perhaps the meager savings gained when filling up.”

The days of just stopping at the local gas pump should be over for all boaters. Today’s marine motors need the proper fuel. As a responsible boater we all should be doing our part to make sure we follow all the laws, not only conservation but environmental.

Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone has grown up fishing and hunting in Chautauqua County. If asked, he will share stories of fishing and hunting with his dad and brothers. Like any good sportsman, Sheriff Quattrone has learned that it is important to pass along the outdoor experience with others at a young age.

To this day, he continues to share time in the woods and on the water with family. It wasn’t until recently that he decided it would be good to branch out and share his time with local high school students.

Throughout his career in law enforcement, Quattrone has been able to see the good and not so good of others. Always looking to reach out to those who have not been able to grow up in a family that has spent time outdoors, he thought what better way to introduce them to it than by taking them fishing.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office has announced an essay contest for Chautauqua County high school students. Eight essay writers will be taken on a fishing trip on Lake Erie out of the Walleye Capital of the Northeast Dunkirk Harbor on June 22.

While we see too much injustice and other serious problems in our communities, often only the “adults” offer solutions.

The essay should help identify issues the writer has witnessed or experienced first and offer their ideas or suggestions for injustices and other serious social issues that our communities are experiencing. While it’s important to identify the issues, it is equally important to have ideas for these issues. By working together within our communities, we start solving these issues.

Letting the young people of today take an active part in not only knowing the problems and issues, but also helping solve them with ideas and suggestions is a great step in the right direction. This is a great idea that the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office has developed.

Each submitted essay should be well thought out, not only identifying the issues but offering some ideas for each issue.

The deadline for Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office fishing essay contest is June 9. Essays should be sent to the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, 15 E. Chautauqua Street, Mayville, New York, 14757.