Question

What should you do if you see a mud trail in your wake indicating you are in a seagrass area?

1) Slow down and carefully maneuver through the area without disturbing the seagrass
2) Speed up to quickly exit the seagrass area
3) Ignore the mud trail and continue at your current speed
4) d. Stop the boat and wait until the mud trail disappears before proceeding

Answer 1

When encountering a mud trail indicating seagrass presence, one should slow down and navigate carefully to minimize environmental impact.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you see a mud trail in your wake, indicating you are in a seagrass area, you should slow down and carefully maneuver through the area without disturbing the seagrass. This is important because seagrass beds are ecologically significant habitats that provide food, shelter, and nursery areas for a variety of marine life. Protecting Maryland waters starts with actions such as avoiding damage to seagrass and ensuring you do not disturb marine ecosystems with mud and sediment from your boat. Rapidly speeding up or ignoring the mud trail could cause more damage to the seagrass and the organisms that rely on this habitat. Instead, carefully navigate out of the area to minimize impact.