The industry looks at the past and what lies ahead - MarineBusinessWorld North America newsletter
by Peter Rendle 7 Jan 08:00 PST
Boat manufacturing © National Marine Manufacturers Association
NMMA has released its fiscal year 2025 Year in Review, outlining the Association's impact across advocacy, Discover Boating initiatives, industry data and insights, certification, and membership engagement.
Read the full report online. It serves as both a snapshot of NMMA's work over the past year and a forward-looking resource for members and stakeholders.
A look ahead at sportfishing policy priorities in the new year: Even though winter may still have most of the country in its icy grip, the days are officially getting longer. As we enter this new year, several outstanding recreational fishing policy priorities remain on the to-do list for the Trump administration, Congress and federal agencies.
Unquestionably, 2025 was a year marked by uncertainty. From tariffs to the longest federal shutdown in our nation's history, every week seemed to bring its own surprise.
Sprinkled in between the headlines were a bunch of wins, though. The MAPWaters Act became law in December, fishing access was restored off the California coast in areas previously closed due to a faulty quillback rockfish stock assessment, and NOAA withdrew two potentially disastrous proposed rules - one that would have closed the Atlantic Ocean to all vessels above 35' for over half the year, and another that would have closed the South Atlantic to bottom fishing for 3 months in Florida.
Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), the world's largest marine technology company, returns to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with its most comprehensive display of marine innovation to date. This year, Brunswick will unveil an unparalleled array of groundbreaking technologies, solidifying its ACES strategy (Autonomous/Assisted, Connected, Electrified, Shared) as a fully realized commercial reality.
This year's Brunswick showcase features the groundbreaking Simrad® AutoCaptain™ autonomous boating system on two boats including the global debut of a brand-new Sea Ray SLX and a NAVAN C30, which is making its first appearance at CES. Additionally, Brunswick will feature a Lund Crossover XS featuring the latest technology from Lowrance and Mercury Marine.
Flite, also a Brunswick Corporation brand and a global leader in electric hydrofoil technology, has announced the launch of Fliteboard RACE in collaboration with Mercury Racing. Showcased on the opening day of CES in Las Vegas on Tuesday, this new eFoil is engineered for elite riders seeking ultimate speed, precision, and flawless control.
RACE sets a benchmark for high-performance watersports, with a custom RACE impeller built to deliver higher RPMs and reach top speeds of 34mph (55 km/h, 30 knots).
January high tide flooding predictions: The start of 2026 brings what are anticipated to be some of the highest tides of the year along the West Coast and the Hawaiian Islands, where many harbors are predicted to exceed the high tide flooding threshold and minor tidal flooding along the coast may occur, particularly in low lying areas. These areas are likely to see increased levels of tidal flooding and coastal erosion should storms occur during high tide.
The rest of the country is not expected to see significant tidal flooding this month, but real-time weather conditions, including wind direction and storm surge, could increase the potential for high tide flooding.
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@worldmarine.media