USCG – Page 3 – Fishermens News

Coast Guard Counternarcotics Patrol Confiscates More Than 7,500 Pounds of Cocaine

22Mar

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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

30Nov

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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

16Nov

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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

2Nov

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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

26Oct

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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. ...

USCG Cutter Steadfast Returns to Astoria, Oregon

12Oct

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USCG Cutter Steadfast Returns to Astoria, Oregon

After 55 days on narcotics enforcement patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Steadfast returned to Astoria, Oregon on Oct. 3. The 210-foot medium endurance cutter traveled over 11,000 miles between Oregon and Central America, doing training, law enforcement, search and rescue and helicopter operations in international waters, the agency said. The crew was deployed with Maintenance Augmentation Team Seattle, Electronic Support Detachment Petaluma and the cutter Argus, which is expected to be commissioned soon, according to the Coast Guard. During its tour, the Steadfast pursued a high-speed, panga-style vessel suspected of smuggling contraband before handing off the case to a partner nation, USCG said. “This was a wildly productive deployment with noteworthy enhancements to cr...

Sunken Fishing Vessel No Longer Environmental Threat: USCG

28Sep

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Sunken Fishing Vessel No Longer Environmental Threat: USCG

A commercial fishing vessel that sank in mid-August near Sunset Point off Washington’s San Juan Island, was recovered, defueled and on a salvage barge as of Sept. 21, and no longer posed a significant threat to the environment, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Plans were to transit the Aleutian Isle to a mainland facility for further investigation into the cause of the sinking. The federal on-scene coordinator representative, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Kira Moody, said that the unique environment of the San Juan Islands and location of the vessel made for a complicated and technical response. The 58-foot fishing vessel sank Aug. 13 near Sunset Point off San Juan Island with an estimated 2,500 gallons of diesel on board and 100 gallons of motor oil and other oils. It was recovered from o...

Sunken Fishing Vessel Raised Off San Juan Island

21Sep

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Sunken Fishing Vessel Raised Off San Juan Island

A commercial fishing vessel that sank near Washington’s San Juan Island on Aug. 13, with estimated 2,600 gallons of diesel and oil on board, was successfully lifted to the surface this past week, in a lengthy process that ended on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 17. The lifting of the Aleutian Isle began during that weekend afternoon and continued late into the night. The Coast Guard said after the vessel was brought to the surface that the crew began the complicated task of dewatering and removing fuel. The vessel was partially dewatered and approximately 775 gallons of oily-water liquids were removed, but crews were unable to safely access all spaces and completely dewater the vessel. The Aleutian Isle is now floating with assistance from the barge DB-24. The incident command...

3Aug

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USCG Enforcing Safety, Security Zones for Fleet Week

To safeguard the public during Seattle’s Parade of Ships, Fleet Week and Seafair festival from Aug. 1-7, the Coast Guard is enforcing multiple safety and security zones on Elliott Bay and Lake Washington. The USCG will work with state and local agencies to increase safety patrols on Lake Washington. In addition, crews will enforce a special local regulation for the hydroplane on Lake Washington from 8 a.m. Friday until midnight Sunday. The Seafair Air Show Performance Safety Zone Regulation, also on Lake Washington, is being enforced from 8 a.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Sunday. These zones are to be established in the vicinity of Stan Sayres Memorial Park. Also, the Coast Guard issued reminders to boaters that children 12 years of age and younger are required by state law to wea...

29Jun

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USCG Conducts Dockside Exams on 300-Plus Bristol Bay Fishing Boats

Coast Guard inspectors from Anchorage say that during a two-week deployment to Bristol Bay in mid-June, they completed 351 dockside exams and issued 276 safety decals for fishing vessels in communities throughout the region. Examiners said the exams focused on safety and addressed items such as flares, charts, navigational signals, fire extinguishers, emergency position indicating radio beacons and serviceability of immersion suits. Every vessel that passed the exam earned a decal, according to the USCG. From June 13 through June 24 they also removed 117 immersion suits from service because they were not serviceable. Most vessel owners replaced the unserviceable suits with new ones, the Coast Guard said. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer David Schaeffer, fishing vessel safety ex...