Department of Fish and Game

About OSPR
Marine Safety Branch
Maritime Safety Unit
Boating Safety

State law identifies small craft refueling docks as a class of facilities that may apply for exemption from filing the Certificates of Financial Responsibility and formal oil spill contingency plans required of larger marine facilities and terminals. This is because experience has shown that the risk of a major spill is lower at small craft refueling docks, as defined by law.

Small Craft Refueling Dock Questionnaire (PDF)

A small craft refueling dock is defined as a waterside operation, serving primarily small craft of less than 20 meters in length and less than five tons net weight. To qualify for exemption, a small craft refueling dock:

  • Dispenses only nonpersistent oil (gas, diesel, jet fuel) in bulk, but may dispense a small amount of persistent lubrication oil if it is in sealed containers not exceeding five gallons;
  • Has no single storage tank or tank compartment exceeding 20,000 gallons capacity;
  • Has a total useable tank storage capacity not exceeding 75,000 gallons.

Those docks which meet legally-specified conditions must apply to be registered and certified by OSPR as "exempt" fuel docks. They do remain legally (and financially) liable for damage caused by any petroleum product spilled in the waters around their facilities. They are responsible for making efforts to prevent oil spills, and for immediately reporting any spills that occur, by telephoning the U.S. Coast Guard (800-424-8802) and the California Office of Emergency Services (800-OILS-911).

To assist Small Craft Refueling Dock operators in their spill prevention and response efforts, State law requires the OSPR Administrator to maintain an Education-Outreach Program. Based at OSPR's Sacramento headquarters, the Program provides information through:

  • Brochures and flyers - "Spills Aren’t Slick" Signs (11" x 17")
  • Telephone contact with the Outreach Program Coordinator
  • Voluntary inspections by Oil Spill Prevention Specialists, who can identify strengths and weaknesses in a system, and — when appropriate — show a dock operator ways to improve his/her ability to prevent and respond to spills
  • The OSPR Guide to Clean, Green Boating, a tabbed booklet of information covering such subjects as the impact of oil spills on wildlife and the marine environment, spill prevention and response actions, regulations, phone numbers to call when a spill is discovered, boating "rules of the road," aids to navigation, contact numbers for boating and sailing courses, and green boating practices
  • Live, narrated slide presentations for groups (available by request)

The Outreach Program Coordinator works with other organizations and agencies to develop and share information on pollution prevention products and techniques. These include such groups as California's five Harbor Safety Committees, the California Clean Boating Network (CCBN), the Advisory Board for the Coastal Commission’s Boating, Clean & Green campaign, and the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team (POSPET), which includes California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia. Ideas are also generated by OSPR's participation in the State's—BC Oil Spill Task Force.

Boating Safety Information