According to a recent BoatU.S. survey of anglers, 83% acknowledge that boating safety is a major concern and that the safety issues of greatest importance are the effects of alcohol on boat operators, the use of life jackets, reckless/careless boat operation and speeding.

To help anglers improve their boating safety and in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week May 19-25, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and BoatU.S. Angler offer a free online "Boater's Toolbox" at http://www.BoatUSAngler.com

The web-based learning tool can help anglers who own fishing boats learn important safety matters or brush up on their knowledge. Toolbox topics include: Boating Under the Influence, Life Jackets, Rules of the Road, Hypothermia, Carbon Monoxide, Safe and Clean Fueling and more. To help make learning easier, the teaching tool uses animation to illustrate hard-to-grasp concepts such as right of way and rules of the road.

"The Toolbox puts all of the essential safety information in one place so anglers don't have to chase it down on half a dozen different Web sites," said Mike Pellerin, Director of the BoatU.S. Angler program.

The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 670,000 members of BoatU.S, the nation's largest association of recreational boaters. BoatU.S. Angler is a new membership program whose mission is to protect the interests of boat-owning freshwater anglers, increase their boating safety, provide consumer assistance and ensure fishing remains worry-free. For more information, go to http://www.BoatUSAngler.com or call (866) 906-0013.