Category: USCG

The Coast Guard distributed a Marine Safety Alert today. An inspection of Alcares water activated flashing lifejacket light models Jack A1-ALK and Jack ARH-ALK found 3,000 non-operable lights before their expiration dates due to leaky batteries. Alcove can be contacted by email: [email protected] or website: http://alcares.dk/leaking-batteries-found/ The Safety Alert is here

Dockside examiners will be in Petersburg Tuesday, May 16th through Friday, May 19th. You can sign-up for exams at the Harbor Masters office. The flier is here.

There has been a new company sending out unsolicited letters and offering to perform Documentation services for fishing vessels. These ‘Certificate of Documentation Courtesy Renewal Notices’ closely resemble US Coast Guard’s’ National Vessel Documentation Center’ notices, however, the US Coast Guard’s National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) in Falling Waters, West Virginia is the only entity authorized to issue Certificates of Documentation, form CG-1270. Complaints regarding these scams can be made through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) here: https://www.ftc.gov/ The full Maritime Safety Information Bulletin concerning the false Certificates of Documentation is here. Read more…

Dockside examiners will be in Petersburg from April 22-23 to conduct Commercial Fishing Vessel Dockside Exams. Please stop by the Harbormaster Office to sign-up.

Don’t forget, the USCG will be in Petersburg February 7-10 for dockside exams, you can sign-up at the Harbor Master office. I have had some questions about new fire extinguisher regulations. Attached to this email is a flier explaining it all. If you have the non-refillable extinguishers, these are usually white aluminum cans with plastic handles, these must be replaced every twelve years. They also need to be inspect annually by the vessel owner/operator or crew and initialed and dated on the can. If you have the refillable extinguishers, these are usually red or yellow steel cans with aluminum handles, they are dry chemical or CO2. Dry chemical cans must be inspected by a licensed individual annually and must also be emptied and refilled every 6 years. Every 12 years they have Read more…

The Coast Guard has announced that the Alternate Safety Compliance program has been suspended while they develop the Enhanced Oversight Program. The USCG will prescribe the Voluntary Safety Guidelines by January 1,2017. The Coast Guard will work with the Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee to set the program and will solicit advice from the industry. The full Marine Safety Information Bulletin is here

We were all notified by the USCG in January that out-of-water survival crafts would be required in February. Now, we have all been notified that law was repealed for commercial fishing vessels. The laws for survival craft requirements will remain as they were in 2015. “Section 301 of the 2015 Coast Guard Authorization Act (CGAA) removed the language in 46 USC 3104 that prevented the Coast Guard from approving in-water survival craft….Therefore, in-water survival craft approvals may resume and commercial fishing vessels may continue to use their existing in-water survival crafts…” “please recognize that if you are currently required to carry an out-of-water survival craft on your commercial fishing vessel in accordance with statue or regulation (see 46 CFR Part 28), that requirement Read more…