Unalaska, AK – A sober boating initiative starts tomorrow and extends through the weekend, ending Monday June 28th. It's called Operation Dry Water, and it's a national enforcement and public education campaign that's meant to increase awareness of the dangers - and legal penalties - that surround boating while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. This is the second year that Operation Dry Water has been in place.

Extra Coast Guard and Alaska Wildlife troopers will be patrolling the water, looking for people drinking while navigating motorized boats. They will also be enforcing the state's BUI laws - boating under the influence.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley explains why the national campaign is needed.

"The reason this campaign is important is because anyone who has the money can buy a boat. They can buy the boat, register the boat - but there's no driver's license needed," says Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley, a Coast Guard public affairs specialst. "So, people don't realize that the laws that apply on land when it comes to driving under the influence are the same as boating under the influence, and have the same penalties."

BUI laws are similar to DUI laws, but not identical. If your blood alcohol level is above .08 while operating a boat, you face the same penalties as if you were driving a car. However, there's no open container law that could affect passengers who are consuming alcohol while on a boat. Mosley explains further.

"We want people to use Alaska's waters and enjoy them. If they're going to take alcohol out there with em, we encourage boaters to do that responsibly," says Mosley. "They could have a designated driver for the boat so that everybody else can enjoy themselves as they see fit. Or if everybody decides to partake of alcohol, we encourage them to do so with their boat anchored and in a stationary position, and then give the allotted amount of time for them to no longer be under the effects of that substance so that they can then safely drive their boat back to port."

While there will be extra enforcement this week, the laws are in place year round.