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ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Coast Guard personnel arrived to the Bristol Bay region and conducted more than 300 courtesy dockside examinations of commercial fishing vessels as preparation for the 2014 Bristol Bay Salmon fishery season.
Inspections started June 9 in Egegik, King Salmon and Dillingham and continued until June 20 with Coast Guard teams promoting the importance of vessel inspections.
Over the course of nine days, the inspection teams issued approximately 303 examination decals and inspected an estimated 20 percent of the anticipated 1,200 vessels taking part in the fishery. During their stay in Dillingham, Coast Guard vessel inspectors met with fishermen to discuss regulations.
“The exams are non-punitive,” said Chief Petty Officer Jon-Michael Jones, Sector Anchorage inspections. "We don’t issue fines or other penalties for any problems we discover. We focus on safety concerns such as flares, fire extinguishers and navigational charts, lights and signals.”
“The most common problem we find is with expired flares,” added Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Skeen, Sector Anchorage prevention. “Most flares last about three years so it’s important to check the expiration date when you purchase them or when you think you might need new ones since they may be on the shelves awhile.”
Fishermen whose vessels display a current safety decal benefit by being less likely to have to suspend fishing to accommodate an at-sea boarding by the Coast Guard or the Alaska State Troopers. Another important point discussed by Coast Guard inspectors during their meeting with fishermen concerned the topic of boundary lines for fishing locations.
“The boundary line is defined as a waterway’s low-water, median tide area,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Davis, Sector Anchorage prevention. “Different regulations apply to where a vessel is fishing, whether they are inside or outside the boundary line so it’s important that mariners are aware of this and the regulations involved so they don’t run into trouble later.
The extremely cold temperatures of Alaskan waters coupled with weather conditions and vast distances from shore can be a deadly combination, and the free dockside examinations are a valuable tool to help raise safety awareness.
“Cold water can quickly sap a person’s strength and impede their ability to stay above water,” said Davis. “So, regardless of where crews are fishing, all vessels must carry an immersion suit for each crewmember with their names written onto each suit. This not only increases the chance of survival during a man overboard situation, but labeling each suit provides accountability in the event of multiple people going into the water.”
As the fishery continues, the Coast Guard will work with the Alaska State Troopers to ensure the fishery is carried out safely.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is forecasting a total sockeye salmon run of 26.58 million fish with a commercial harvest of 17.92 million.
Additional information regarding the Bristol Bay salmon fisheries can be found at the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game website: http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/region2/finfish/salmon/bbayhome.php
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2014 15:15 |
| Story ID: | 134220 |
| Location: | ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 202 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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