The Coast Guard cutter Kimball returned to its homeport of Base Honolulu on Aug. 1 after completing a 122-day patrol in the Northern Pacific, Bering Sea and American Arctic.
The Kimball patrolled in support of Operation Alaskan Groundfish Enforcer, Alaskan Sentinel and Bering Shield, promoting maritime governance by enforcing domestic fishery regulations while countering illicit maritime activity from foreign fleets along the maritime boundary line.
While deployed, the Kimball’s crew detected four Chinese surface combatants operating in vicinity of the Amchitka and Amukta Passage within the U.S. exclusive economic zone in early July.
“Under Operation Frontier Sentinel, Kimball monitored the Chinese vessels, meeting presence with presence to ensure there were no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska,” the Coast Guard explained in a Aug. 7 statement.
The Kimball’s crew also interacted with U.S. partners in Victoria, British Columbia, strengthening relationships by focusing on shared interests in the Bering Sea and the expanding Artic region.
The cutter’s command cadre met with senior leadership from the Royal Canadian Navy at the Canadian Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific headquarters, participating in geopolitical analysis briefs and roundtable discussions on enhancing joint maritime domain awareness in the Arctic.
The visit included tours of the HMCS Ottawa and HMCS Corner Brook, then culminated later in the patrol with a passing exercise with HMCS Regina, promoting interoperability with the Royal Canadian Navy.
The Kimball also ensured during the deployment that fishing vessels in the Bering Sea were within compliance of all federal fishery conservation laws and safety requirements through the completion of twenty living marine resources boardings.
The cutter’s boarding team identified one vessel operating in violation of U.S. fisheries regulations, resulting in a $4,500 violation from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) office of law enforcement.
“Kimball’s crew protected U.S. economic interests monitoring foreign fishing vessels along the maritime boundary line, preventing U.S. economic exclusion zone incursions,” the Coast Guard said. “Kimball’s law enforcement teams conducted a joint boarding with Customs and Border Protection and NOAA of a foreign flagged reefer vessel to inspect fish bait being imported into the United States strengthening federal partnerships in the region.”
Coast Guard Completes Operation Nasse in Pacific Region
The Coast Guard has completed participation in Operation Nasse, a three-month operation conducted by the U.S., Australia, France and New Zealand to safeguard the marine resources of Pacific Island nations and the Western Central Pacific Ocean, the Guard announced Aug. 6.
From July 1-12, an HC-130J Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point patrolled the South Pacific High Seas in and around the Exclusive Economic Zones of Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, New Zealand, Tonga, Niue and the Cook Islands to detect, investigate and report any illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activity.
During the operation, the Coast Guard collaborated with Pacific Quadrilateral Defense Coordinating Group (Pacific QUAD) partners to enhance their Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) tools and communications to support regional and national maritime surveillance efforts.
The wide-ranging operations were supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) Regional Fisheries Surveillance Center (RFSC) and several FFA members to reinforce the conservation work of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on the high seas.
Alongside the P-QUAD partners, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands participated in the operation for the first time.
Coast Guard participation in Operation Nasse is part of Operation Blue Pacific, an overarching multi-mission Coast Guard endeavor promoting security, safety, sovereignty and economic prosperity in the Pacific while strengthening relationships between partner nations.
“Collaborating with the Pacific Quad and other regional partners to combine our resources and expertise to enhance monitoring tools is crucial to countering illegal fishing activities in Oceania,” Lt. Cmdr. Keith Arnold, HC-130J aircraft commander for U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, said.
“Sharing data, strengthening our communication networks, and coordinating patrols allows us to create a more comprehensive picture of what’s happening on the water in the region. This collaborative approach,” he said, “sends a strong message to those engaged in illegal fishing: we will work together to stop these activities and protect these vital resources.”
U.S. Coast Guard District Fourteen, located in Honolulu, covers more than 14 million square miles of land and sea, conducting operations over the Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa, Saipan, Guam, Singapore and Japan.