51st Annual Marine Recreation Association Educational Conference Summarized
October 27, 2023
LA JOLLA— The 51st Annual Marine Recreation Association (MRA) Educational Conference & Trade Show event, which was open to marina owners and operators, took place Oct. 16-18 at Torrey Pines in La Jolla to provide insight on marine industry issues. The most controversial topic discussed was California Assembly Bill 525 (2021) and the creation of offshore windmill farms along the coast.
Mike Conroy, the West Coast director of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), discussed the current state of affairs regarding offshore wind energy facilities along the California coast.
Conroy reviewed the potential impacts of AB 525, which tasked the California Energy Commission with developing a strategic plan for offshore wind energy developments installed off the California coast in federal waters. The goal of the initiative, to produce more than 25,000 gigawatts of wind-generated power by 2045, would result in roughly 3,000 square miles of California’s coastal ocean being assigned to wind farm development.
Benefits of the plan were discussed, including having additional clean energy sources that are renewable and sustainable, and reducing land use conflicts. Still, concerns were also shared, regarding environmental impacts, visually intrusive turbines, interference with maritime navigation, the effects on fisheries, disruption of whale migration and costs.
In addition to the discussion of offshore wind farms, Beau Biller, a lobbyist for Platinum Advisors, Jerry Desmond, director of government relations for the Recreational Boaters of California (RBOC), and Mark Smith, founder of Smith Policy Group, covered California and national legislative updates and the legislative process.
The three discussed AB525, AB3, AB 1373, AB 80, and Senate bills 286 and 605. SB 286 was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 7 and will become law on Jan. 1, 2024. The bill will accelerate the offshore wind permitting process through the state’s Coastal Commission and State Lands Commission.
Additional speakers included Dr. Jon Haveman, executive director of the National Economic Education Delegation, who presented an economic forecast to help attendees better understand the economic environment in which they are doing business. In addition to inflation and the prospects for recession, Haveman discussed income growth, employment growth, interest rates and various other economic indicators. Seminars continued throughout the day to address the statistics, market trends and transformative potential within the coastal marina industry.
The event celebrated achievements within the industry, addressed controversial topics, offered networking opportunities and presented nearly 30 exhibitors with space to discuss the marine sector with like-minded peers.
This year’s Educational Conference and Trade Show theme was “Acknowledgment and Appreciation,” which focused on the future and looking forward to new challenges and achievements in the marine industry as recovery from the pandemic continues.
Participants also were reminded and encouraged to attend the upcoming 2024 California Boating Congress. The annual event, set to take place March 12-13, 2024, in Sacramento, brings together stakeholders in the boating and maritime industry, including boating enthusiasts, industry professionals, policymakers and government officials. The event provides a platform for discussions, networking and collaboration to address issues, challenges and opportunities related to boating and water-related activities in California.
The MRA is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of marinas, boatyards, yacht clubs and other marine businesses in the recreational boating industry. The association focuses on providing support, advocacy, education and resources to its members, enabling them to operate and manage their marine facilities effectively and sustainably.
For more information about the MRA, please visit https://www.marina.org/cpages/home.
