Discover Boating, the national campaign run by the National Marine Manufacturers Association to expand the recreational boating industry, announced its top 10 destinations for fishing, sailing, cruising and watersports this week.

The Discover Boating campaign is a massive effort to increase participation in an industry that is seeing sales fall in a tight economy with rising fuel prices. Last year, the campaign spent more than $12.5 million on marketing efforts, which included distributing a popular boating DVD, airing more than 7,000 television commercials and publishing roughly 30 full-page print ads, according to its 2007 annual report.

To produce its top 10 lists, the organization collected suggestions from hundreds of boaters, industry experts and travel enthusiasts. Mad Mariner editors were invited to submit suggestions and participated in the survey.

"Whether you’re interested in fishing, wakeboarding, sailing or just sightseeing, there are plenty of waterways ideal for boating activities across the country," Carl Blackwell, vice president of marketing and communications for Discover Boating, said in a statement. "In fact, 90 percent of Americans live within an hour’s drive of navigable body of water perfect for boating."

The organization's top 10 destinations, which reflect all corners of the country, are:

FISHING

Dale Hollow Lake – Celina, Tenn.
Davidson River – Charlotte, N.C.
Florida Keys – Key Largo, Fla.
Lake Erie – Cleveland, Ohio
Long Island Sound – Long Island, N.Y.
Orange Beach – Gulf Shores, Ala.
Paradise Cove – Malibu, Ca.
Rainy Lake – International Falls, Minn.
Snake River – Baker City, Ore.
South Platte River – Denver, Colo.

SAILING

Barrier Islands – Charleston, S.C.
Biscayne Bay – Biscayne Bay, Fla.
Block Islands – New Shoreham, R.I.
Chesapeake Bay – St. Michaels, Md.
Lake Ouachita – Hot Springs, Ark.
Lake Superior – Bayfield, Wi.
Lake Washington – Seattle, Wash.
Mission Bay – San Diego, Ca.
Outer Banks – Nags Head, N.C.
San Francisco Bay – San Francisco, Ca.

CRUISING

Cape Cod – Plymouth, Mass.
Chain of Lakes – Grand Rapids, Mich.
Charleston Harbor – Charleston, S.C.
Chesapeake Bay – St. Michaels, Md.
Columbia River – Portland, Ore.
Intercoastal Waterway – Miami, Fla.
Lake Champlain – Ticonderoga, N.Y.
Lake Havasu – Lake Havasu, Az.
Lake Mead – Las Vegas, Nev.
Lake Michigan – Chicago, Ill.

WATERSPORTS

Kentucky Lake – Benton, Ky.
Lake George – Lake George, N.Y.
Lake Havasu – Phoenix, Az.
Lake Nona – Orlando, Fla.
Lake of the Ozarks – St. Louis, Mo.
Lake Sammamish – Sammamish, Wash.
Lake Travis – Austin, Tx.
Lake Winnipesaukee – Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.
North Jetty Beach – Sarasota, Fla.
San Joaquin River Delta – Sacramento, Ca.