Tag: USCG

Coast Guard Confiscates $158M in Narcotics in Eastern Pacific Ocean
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Coast Guard Confiscates $158M in Narcotics in Eastern Pacific Ocean

Crew aboard the Coast Guard cutters Steadfast, Vigilant and Mohawk confiscated millions of dollars in illegal drugs during counter-narcotics patrols in the Eastern Pacific Ocean from May through July, the Guard announced this week. On July 17, the crew of the Steadfast offloaded over 11,600 pounds of cocaine and 5,500 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $158 million in San Diego. “Their unwavering commitment while interdicting drug smugglers at sea is not only commended, but their continued efforts are unmatched,” Coast Guard Eleventh District Commander Rear Adm. Andrew Sugimoto said. “The crew of the Steadfast worked incredibly hard, day and night, to stop three smuggling vessels, preventing more than five tons of illicit narcotics from reaching American soil,” Steadfast C...
Schallip Returns for Second Command of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy
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Schallip Returns for Second Command of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy

Capt. Michele Schallip on June 29 returned for a second tour as commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Healy, one of two active icebreakers homeported in Seattle. Commissioned in 1999, the Healy is the newest, largest and most technologically advanced icebreaker in the Coast Guard’s fleet. Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant of the US. Coast Guard presided over the change of command ceremonies in Seattle in which Schallip relieved Capt. Kenneth Boda as commanding officer. Schallip previously served as the ship’s executive officer from 2018 to 2020. Boda served as the Healy’s commanding officer from June 2021 to June 2023. Twice during Boda’s tenure, the Healy was deployed to the Arctic region, including trips to circumnavigate North America and to transit the geographic No...
Coast Guard Cutter Intercepts Vessel Smuggling Cocaine Worth $75M
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Coast Guard Cutter Intercepts Vessel Smuggling Cocaine Worth $75M

The Coast Guard cutter Alert has returned to its homeport of Astoria, Ore. after a 61-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during which they intercepted a vessel with more than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine valued at some $75 million. Coast Guard officials said in late May that a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Marine Patrol Aircraft crew had notified the Alert of a suspected vessel, prompting the cutter to deploy a helicopter and aircrew, along with a small boat and law enforcement boarding team. The law enforcement phase of counter-smuggling operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is conducted under the authority of the 11th Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, Calif. The interdictions, including the actual boardings, are conducted the U.S. Coast ...
Alaska Files Criminal Charges for Illegal Trawling Near Kodiak
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Alaska Files Criminal Charges for Illegal Trawling Near Kodiak

On May 12, criminal misdemeanor charges were filed by the state of Alaska against a vessel operator for allegedly operating non-pelagic trawl gear within the Kodiak, Alaska groundfish registration area. U.S. Coast Guard officials said trawl gear used in the area had chafing gear attached to it and chain rib lines suitable for fishing in contact with the seabed, all of which are not authorized for legal pelagic trawl gear. The Coast Guard did not identify the boat or operator other than to say it was an 88-foot fishing vessel and that a boarding team determined that it was in violation for trawling in the Barnabas closure are while having a non-pelagic trawl on board. Alaska Wildlife Troopers Sgt. Josh Boyle said the violation is significant in the potential it has for negatively effec...
USCG Cutter Polar Star Home After Operation Deep Freeze
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USCG Cutter Polar Star Home After Operation Deep Freeze

The Coast Guard cutter Polar Star and its crew are back in Seattle following a 144-day deployment to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2023. This was the Polar Star’s 26th voyage to Antarctica for Operation Deep Freeze, which is an annual joint military service mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the U.S. Antarctic Program. This year marks the 63rd iteration of the annual operation. The Polar Star is a 399-foot heavy polar icebreaker commissioned in 1976. It weighs 13,500 tons and is 84-feett wide with a 34-foot draft. The vessel has six diesel and three gas turbine engines able to produce up to 75,000 horsepower. The cutter left Seattle for Antarctica on Nov. 12, a journey of over 2...
Coast Guard Counternarcotics Patrol Confiscates More Than 7,500 Pounds of Cocaine
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Coast Guard Counternarcotics Patrol Confiscates More Than 7,500 Pounds of Cocaine

The Coast Guard cutter Steadfast returned to its Astoria, Oregon homeport on March 14, following a 69-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, during which they confiscated over 7,500 pounds of cocaine valued at $85.6 million. The Steadfast had deployed with a Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and air crew based in Jacksonville, Fla., along with temporarily assigned crew from the Coast Guard cutter Harriet Lane and soon-to-be commissioned Coast Guard cutter Argus. When notified by a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of a suspected narcotics smuggling vessel transiting international waters, the Steadfast launched a crew and boarding team that interdicted the vessel after a many-hour pursuit. The Coast Guard said the suspected smugglers jet...
Comment Period Extended for Proposed Base Seattle Expansion Draft PEIS
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Comment Period Extended for Proposed Base Seattle Expansion Draft PEIS

Coast Guard officials say they have extended until Dec. 16 the period for public comment on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the proposed expansion of Coast Guard Base Seattle. The public comment period was previously scheduled to conclude Dec. 2. The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement is available online for reading at  https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/NEPA The release of the Draft PEIS on Oct. 7 launched a public commentary period, during which the Coast Guard began accepting public comment online at  https://www.regulations.gov with docket number USCG-2021-0183. Public comment may also be sent via the U.S. Post Office to: U.S. Coast Guard, Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center, Environmental Management Division, ATTN: Mr. Dean Amundson, 1301...
Coast Guard Urged to Improve Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Efforts
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Coast Guard Urged to Improve Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Efforts

A new report from the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that to date the U.S. Coast Guard has implemented just five of 22 key statutory requirements for improved vessel safety established strategic goals and performance goals for its commercial fishing vessel safety program. The GAO report, released in early November, noted Coast Guard efforts to conduct dockside exams, engage with industry and collaborate with the National Marine Fisheries Service and other federal agencies. The Coast Guard also issued two-year safety decals to all vessels that successfully completed the dockside exams, the report said. However, the Coast Guard has only partially or not implemented 17 other requirements, according to the GAO, including one to develop alternate safety standards for ol...
Coast Guard Encounters Russian, Chinese Ships Near Alaska
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Coast Guard Encounters Russian, Chinese Ships Near Alaska

Crew aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter homeported in Honolulu reported encountering a formation of Russian and Chinese naval ships near Alaska while on patrol in the Bering and Chukchi seas in October. A Coast Guard report from the cutter Kimball said that while on routine patrol the crew spotted a formation of naval ships from Russia and China transiting through the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, but that the vessels did not enter U.S. territorial waters.   The Kimball came within about one mile of the naval ships, established and maintained radio contact, and ultimately ensured their presence was in accordance with international rules and norms. The Kimball and its crew covered more than 22,000 miles in over 100 days, conducting search and rescue and fisheries enforcement patrols in t...
NOAA Releases Five-Year Strategy for Combating IUU Fishing
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NOAA Releases Five-Year Strategy for Combating IUU Fishing

Federal fisheries officials and their partners have released their National Five-Year Strategy for Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, a global problem impacting ocean ecosystems, the economy and food security.  The strategy, announced in mid-October, details U.S. priorities and plans for the next five years to promote maritime security worldwide. The strategy includes a U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing, composed of 21 member agencies building an expanding toolbox for partners to combat IUU fishing. Over the next five years, the working group plans to engage with five priority flag states and administrations: Ecuador, Panama, Senegal, Taiwan and Vietnam, focusing on helping them in their ongoing efforts to combat IUU fishing and related threats. ...