Boat owners still can take to the water from marinas and boatyards, though no boat rentals or charters will be allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Jersey, New York or Connecticut.

A joint announcement Saturday from Gov. Phil Murphy, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers will be allowed open for personal use as long as "strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed" in all three states.

Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed and restaurant activity at such sites must be limited to take-out or delivery only, the governors also said.

“A unified approach is the most effective way to alleviate confusion for the residents of our states during the ongoing public health emergency,” Murphy said in a written statement.

“Our states share workforces, resources, public transit, and we all have share a connection on the water,” Lamont said, while continuing it was “all the more reason to collaborate on these kinds of decisions."

Cuomo said that aligning their policies would help ensure there is no "state shopping" when it comes to marinas and boatyards.

Recreational boating contributes roughly $6.6 billion a year to New Jersey's economy, making it seventh in the country, according to a January 2019 release from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

That activity includes marine manufacturers, suppliers, dealers and retailers, services such as repairs and marinas; boating activities and trips and business tax revenue.

NJ marina boatyards open with restrictions coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic
(Andy Chase, Townsquare Media)
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