see also: in March 2007 News Releases:   SBInet Completes Test of First Mobile Sensor Tower   Nogales Border Patrol Seizes 6 Tons of Marijuana from Garbage Truck   El Paso CBP Officers Make Largest Drug Bust In 2 Years   CBP Seizes $709,291 in Undeclared Currency at Laredo Port of Entry   Border Patrol Seizes $13 Million in Cocaine Near Hidalgo, Texas   El Paso CBP Offers Tips For Quick, Safe Easter Holiday Border Crossings   Border Patrol Assists Man Bitten by Snake ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Palm Beach, Fla. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection will have uniformed CBP officers staffing a booth at the upcoming Palm Beach Boat Show, March 22 through 25.

Photo Credit: Zachary Mann

The officers will be available to provide general boating information, answer CBP-related questions and enroll participants in the new Local Boater Option program.

The CBP Local Boater Option is designed to assist international boaters as they return to the United States from foreign waters. In the pleasure boat environment, the master of any vessel must report their arrival to CBP after having been at any foreign port or place or after having contact with any hovering vessel.

The assistance at the boat show includes:

• Boaters will be given the opportunity to register their biographical data and vessel information with CBP.
• This option is available to United States citizens and Legal Permanent Residents only.
• Registrants will need to present themselves in person and must present proof of citizenship or legal permanent residence.
• Registering with CBP will result in the issuance of a Local Boater Option registration card number. Boaters will utilize the registration number to notify CBP of their arrival from foreign waters.
• There are no fees for the Local Boater Option.

The South Florida boating community has positively received the Local Boater Option, which went into effect last November. “We took action to improve the process for our honest boaters arriving in South Florida,” said Thomas S. Winkowski, CBP’s field operations director in South Florida. “Since its inception in November 2006, nearly 3,000 people have enrolled in the Local Boater Option.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.