Boat inspection stations at Bloedel Donovan, South Bay, and Lake Samish will be opening for the season starting on April 22, 2017. Inspectors will be checking both the interior and exterior of all watercraft to see that they are clean, drained, and dry and are not at risk for transporting aquatic invasive species to our local waters.

Aquatic Invasive Species Permits are required for all watercraft prior to launching or operating on Lake Whatcom or Lake Samish. For more information on permit fees visit Annual Permits and Fees. You may purchase your permits at the time of inspection by credit/debit card. If you re-take the online AIS Awareness Course in 2017, you may be eligible for a $10 discount to be applied to each annual permit you are purchasing.

Opening Day Hours of Operation (4/22/2017):

Bloedel Donovan: 4:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Lake Samish WDFW Launch: 5:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

South Bay WDFW Launch: 6:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

For more information on our seasonal hours of operation visit Inspection Locations or call (360) 778-7975.

From all of our 2017 inspectors, we wish you a very fun and safe boating season!

We are looking for all types of watercraft for our 2017 Watercraft Inspector Training on April 12 and 17. Volunteers will provide their boats for new and returning staff to get familiar with boat parts and inspection and decontamination procedures. We need a variety of boats including pleasure, fishing, PWCs, and ski or wakeboard boats. In exchange for volunteering your vessel, we will provide you with a $10 discount on your 2017 Annual Permit!

Please contact the Whatcom Boat Inspection Program at 778-7976 or email Matt Main, Aquatic Invasive Species Program Lead Inspector, at mjmain@cob.org if you are interested in volunteering your boat.